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1 

HANEY'S TRADE MANUALS. 



< . ^ 

I ... j 

I JEWELEE; | 

\ A CLEAR AND COMPLETE EXPOSITIOK i I 

; OF ALL ; 1 

THE LATEST AND MOST APPROVED | I 

'i ; 

; WITH A SERIES OF ] i 

■ PLAIN IITRUCTK FOR BEGINNERS, r 



ETC., ETC. 



BY J. PARISH STELLE, 
A PRACTICAL WATCHMAKER. 



I %txc f orfe : 

\ JESSE HANEY & CO., PUBLISHERS, 

V r-yo No. 119 NASSAU STREET. 



Plmchette, 

The popular parlor mystery — what it is, what 
it does, and how it does it ; how to make this 
amusing and surprising automaton for answering 
questions, disclosing your thoughts, and telling 
tortunes, at a cost of a shilling — also 

VENTRILOQUISM, 

Full and simple instructions ; How Advertisers 
are Defrauded ; Tricks of the Tea Trade and the 
Tea Companies; Extemporaneous Preaching; 
Peanut Culture ; Home-made Furs ; Mechanical 
(Spies; Sewing Machine Swindles; Fish Culture; 
Japanese Magic; Trick of Aerial Suspension, 
and of the Human Head Floating in the Air; 
Treatment of Cancer ; Art of Judging Horses ; 
A Canine Actor ; Choice of Canaries ; Bird 
Taming and Bird Training ; Teaching the Dumb 
to Speak ; Authorship as a Universal Accom- 
plishment ; Getting Advertising Free ; What to do 
for a Living; Queer Fishes — leaping, climbing, 
shooting and talking fishes; Training for Bealth 
and for Athletic Contests ; Exposure of Psycho- 
mancy, or Soul Charming ; How People See 
Ghosts ; How to Write Business Letters ; Bath- 
ing, healthful and hurtful; Kalsomining ; Queer 
Surgery ; The Kaffir Knob-Kerrie ; Remedies for 
Intoxication and love of Liquor ; Ingenuity in a 
New Channel ; Is Salt Poisonous ? Artesian 
Wells ; Short-hand Writers Wanted ; Maple Su- 
gar Making ; Liniments and Pain Paints ; Arti- 
ficial Honey , Rich Men of the World and how 
they Gained their Wealth, including Bonner, 
D. Drew, C. Vanderbilt, A. T. Stewart, H. B. 
Claflin, &e., &c. ; Exposures of Humbugs 
and Swindles by the Author of the famous 
book, " Rogues and Rogueries," Hints to Young 
Men who are, or who expect to be in Love, and 
Hints to Young Ladies who are or who expect to 
be Fallen in Love With, by Aunt Sue ; Puzzles 
and Amusements for the Young Folks ; Useful 
Arts ; Valuable Recipes ; Entertaining and Use- 
ful Reading for everybody, &c., &c., in 

Haney's Journal 

A small but neat and attractive monthly paper, 
moderately illustrated. 

Only 25 cents a year. Single copies 3 cents, at 
news depots only. No specimens sent from office. 

^W Established January 1868. Back numbers 
can be had as all are stereotyped. 



THE 



AMEEICAI^ WATCHMAKER 



AND 



JEWELEK, 

A FULL AND COMPREHENSIYE EXPOSITION 



OF ALL THE 



f attst aiib most ^prokb Bttxtk of llje Crak 



EMBRACINO 

WATCH AND CLOCK CLEANING AND EEPAIRING, TEMPERING 
IN ALL ITS GRADES, MAKING TOOLS, COMPOUND- 
ING METALS, SOLDERING, PLATING, ETC., 

V/ITH A SERIES OF PLAIH ISSTRnCTIOKS FOR BEGIHHERS. 

ALSO, 

DIRECTIONS BY WHICH THOSE NOT FINDING IT CONYE- 

NIENT TO PATRONIZE A HOROLOGIST MAY KEEP 

THEIR CLOCKS IN ORDER. 



<^A BY J. PARISH STELLE, 

A PRACTICAL WATCHMAKER. 



JESSE HANEY & CO., PUBLISHERS 

119 NASSAU STREI.T. 




HANEY'S TRADE MANUALS. 



PUBLISHERS' NOTICE. 



The American "Watch:maker and Jeweler is tlie initial issue 
of a series of "Trade Manuals" which we proj)ose publishing us 
fast as they can be properly prepared. The value of books treating of 
the processes, manipulations and discoveries of the different trades and 
professions is recognized by every intelligent man. While no book 
can pretend to be a substitute for experience and natural ability, in 
the pi'osecution of any industry, there is unquestionably much informa- 
tion that can be told in a few moments, which miglit require years to 
arrive at by individual experiments. A guide of this kind should 
embrace the combined results of all discoveries and improvements in 
the art of which it treats, so as to keep pace with the progress con- 
stantly taking place. 

There are many good books relating to the different'trades, and we 
consider that a liberal expenditure for such would prove proiitable to 
every artisan. Such books are necessarilly higher priced than com- 
mon works. The main objection to most of them is that they contain 
much unimportant matter which swells them in Loth size and price, at 
the same time that it confuses the reader. We shall attempt to obviate 
this objection in Haney's Trade Manuals by giving in concise form 
all the really valuable information attainable on the subjects treated. 
Great care will be taken to make them reliable in every respect, and of 
real assistance to the reader. They will be almost wholly original, 
written by practical and experienced men. In order th;it tliey may 
have a large and general circulation, and be within reach of ever\- per- 
son engaged in the occupation they' treat of, Haney's Trade Man- 
uals W'ill be sold at the lowest prices, considering the original Cdst of 
preparation, manufacture of books, and tlie extent of the demand. 
Those which, from the limited extent of any trade, necessaiiliy have 
but a small circulation, must of course be charged somewhat liiglier 
than those appertaining to more extensive interests. W^e shall, how- 
ever, in every case content ourselves with a moderate and reasonable 
profit in our investment 



Entered according to act O"^" Congress, in the year 1868, by 

JESSE HAXEY & CO., 

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the 
Southern District of IS^ew York. 




PREFACE 



I DO not expect all watchmakers to praise me for haying 
presented this exposition of the " secrets of the trade/' no 
more than the physician who produces a work adapted to 
domestic practice could reasonably expect a blessing from 
every member of the medical profession. It is all the same 
to me. I did not wi'ite it for praise ; nor did I write it 
under the conviction that I was doing anything deserving 
of blame. I expect to he blamed, however, and to have 
hard things said of me by a few who either feel that they 
know enough already to make out with, and would rather 
not have the secrets imparted to others lest they in conse- 
quence should come in for a share in the success ; or who 
are making a good thing of it by selling " The Latest and 
Most Improved Processes" to the less fortunate, at the 
moderate price of from three to forty dollars each. I know 
just about what they will say of me : that I shall leave 
between them and their own consciences. I know, too, 
about how they will argue with a view to creating a founda- 
tion for blame : of that I may speak a word or two. They 
will intimate that there are too many ^' botches " in the 
business already, and that a work of this character is only 
calculated to augment their number. 

At first thought this thing may appear reasonable enough, 
but a sober second reflection will convince any reasonable 
person of its inability to hold good. That there are 
" botches,'' and sad ones, following the vocation I must ad- 
mit J and what is still worse, many of them are men who 
have enjoyed excellent opportunities for gaining informa- 
tion. As a general thing, a lack of capacity rather than in- 
formation has made them " botches," and this very custom 
of husbanding the " secrets of the trade " from the public 



viii. PEEFACE. 

is what enables them to curse the conmnmities in which 
they are located, by holding positions which would other- 
wise be filled by better men. So long as horological informa- 
tion can only be obtained at a high price, a large number of 
unqualified persons, who happen to be financially favored, 
will buy it, and " botches ^^ must be the result, of course. 
But not so when we place it within the reach of all. Men 
qualified for the business will then take hold of it, and such 
as are now imposing upon the people, simply because they 
happen to possess a few secrets too costly to be generally 
known, will find themselves under the necessity of falling 
back. France is said to be blessed with the most skillful 
watchmakers in the world, and the reason is plain — she is 
the only nation whose authors, have attempted to produce a 
series of cheap and reliable books on the science of horology. 

This is my argument. It was what prompted me to 
write this book ; and though I might produce other argu- 
ments in favor of the move, I think it is enough. 

I shall not speak of the character or claims of the 
Americais^ "Watchmaker an^d Jeweler, preferring that the 
book should show for itself. A knowledge of the fact that 
superior opportunities for acquiring the latest and best infor- 
mation touching this, my favorite subject, have presented 
themselves and been eagerly embraced by me, both in 
Europe and America, emboldens me to send forth the work 
without a single misgivmg. 

The Author. 



OOISTTEN-TS. 



INTRODUCTION. 



PAGE.' 

Character of American watchmakers 1'6 

Necessary qualifications 13 

History of American Horology ". 14 

American Watch Company 14 

National Watch Company 16 

ON WATCH CLEANING. 

To clean -- 17 

The chemical process 18 

To prepare chalk for cleaning 18 

Pivot wood 18 

Pith for cleaning 19 

ON WATCH REPAIRING. 

To pivot 20 

To drill into hardened steel 20 

To tell when the lever is of proper length 20 

To lengthen levers of an anchor escapement 21 

To change depth of lever escapement 21 

To tell when the lever pallets are of a proper size 21 

To put teeth into wheels 22 

To weaken the hair spring 22 

To prevent a chain from running off the fusee 23 

To put watches in beat 23 

To tighten a cannon pinion 24 

To tighten a ruby pin 24 

ON MENDING WATCH TRAINS. 

To determine the required diameter of a pinion , 25 * 

Tables of non-second watch trains 26 

Tables of fourth-wheel second watch trains 31 

A table of third-wheel and patent second trains 34 

Tables of American and National watch trains „ 34 

ON TEMPERING. 

To temper brass, or to draw its temper 35 

To temper drills 35 

To temper gravers 35 

To teuiper case spriuirs 36 

To temper clicks, ratch<>.ts, &,c 36 

To draw temper from dt.-'licate steel pieces without springing Ihi'm 36 



10 CONTENTS. 

PAGE. 

To temper staffs, cylinders or pinions without springing tliem 37 

To draw the temper from part of a small steel article 37 

To blue screws evenly 37 

To remove bluing from steel 38 

To case-harden iron 38 

ON MILLS; BROACHES, FILES AND BURNISHERS. 

To make a diamond mill 38 

To make diamond broaches '. 39 

To make polishing broaches 39 

To make diamond files - 39 

To make pivot files 39 

To make burnisliers I 40 

To prepare a burnisher for polishing 40 

ON CLEANING AND REPAIRING CLOCKS. 

To clean a clock 42 

To bush 42 

To remedy a Avorn pinion 43 

To oil properly , 43 

To make the clock strike correctly 43 

A defect to look after 43 

ON] REFINING AND COMPOUNDING METALS. 

To refine gold 44 

To refine silver 44 

To refine copper 45 

To make coin gold 45 

Tc nake eighteen carat gold 45 

Tc nake sixteen carat gold 46 

To make twelve carat gold 46 

To make four carat gold 46 

To make green gold 46 

To make best counterfeit gold 46 

To make best oreide gold 47 

To make alloyed silver 47 

To make best counterfeit silver 48 

To make German silver... 48 

To make gold solder 48 

To make silver solder 48 

To make brass or copper solder 48 

To make soft solder , 48 { 

ON SOLDERING. 

To hard solder, gold, silver, copper, brass, steel or platina 49 

To make soldering fluids 50 

To soft solder articles 50 \ 

To cleanse gold tarnished in soldering 50 

To cleanse silver tarnished in solderiucj 51 



CONTENTS. 11 
ON PLATING. 

PAGE- 

To make gold solution for electro-plating 51 

To make silver solution for electro-pl atiug 52 

To plate with a battery 52 

To plate without a battery 53 

To make gold amalgam 54 

To plate with gold amalgam 54 

To make and apply a gold plating of solution 54 

To make and apply gold plating powders 54 

To make and apjjly silver plating solution 55 

To make and apply silver plating powders 55 

To silver ivory 55 

To silver glass globes r 56 

MISCELLANEOUS EECIPES. 

To frost watch movements 56 

To make cleaning solution for brass 56 

To make and apply solution for frosting silver articles 56 

Polishing powder for gold articles 57 

To remove tarnish from electro-plated goods 57 

To make red watch hands 57 

To give plaster figures the appearance of bronze 57 

To etch on ivory 58 

To enamel gold or silver 58 

To destroy the eifect of acid on clothes 58 

To wash silver ware 58 

To cleanse brushes 58 

To cut glass round or oval without a diamond 59 

To re-black clockhands 59 



THE A.M:Ei:iicA.]sr 
WATCHMAKER AND JEWELER. 



CHAPTER I. 

INTEODTJCTION. 

The American watchmaker, so called, is not usually a 
manufacturer of watches, or even parts of watches, but 
simply an artist whose business it is to repair and keep 
watches in order. He is generally a man of rare mechani- 
cal genius, capable of turning his hand to almost anything, 
hence he is not unfrequently, especially in the country, also 
a clockmaker— in the same sense — a jeweler, and a repairer 
of musical instruments. In short the good watchmaker is 
aJmost invariably, if he is disposed to let himself out, a 
Jack-of-all-trades. He must possess a degree of ingenuity 
sufficient to quality him for almost any mechanical perform- 
ance without the benefit of a previous apprenticeship, or he 
cannot be a successful watchmaker, for it is a business in 
which there is no regular routine, as in other trades. Any 
industrious person, though endowed with nothing above an 
ordinary capacity, may, in obedience to a long series of in- 
structions combined with practice, make a master carpenter, 
blacksmithorwheeJwi'ight of himself, but not a watchmaker. 
The watchmaker whose skill is to render him deserving of 
the application, must be blessed with a natural gift above 
the generality. Like the painter, the sculptor or the poet, 
he must be born to the calling. Not only must he be what 



14 THE AMEEICAN 

is termea a natural mecliaiiic, but a philosopher as well, 
possessed of a good reasoning power of his own 5 for in- 
stances are sure to occur, and often, in which he will be 
called upon to ferret out causes and effects never met with 
or thought of by his instructions. 

I throw in these hints, not with a view to the discoui'age- 
ment of any, but in the hope that they may be of ben- 
efit to some who are thinking of becoming watchmakers. 
If the true element is in them it has given evidence of the 
fact, and they may go ahead with confidence of success 5 if 
not, they had better abandon the idea at once and turn 
attention to something else ,• bearmg in mind that all were 
not made for the same vocation, and that he who would not 
make a useful watchmaker, might more than succeed at 
some other calling. True, a person might get along at the 
business without these extra qualifications named, but there 
would be no chances for him to excel, and unless one could 
be an excellent watchmaker he had far better be no watch- 
maker at all. Unfortunately for us, and for them, there are 
already too many second and third class workmen of the 
kind in America. 

Parents who contemplate putting their children to trades 
should bear in mind the important truths on which I have 
just been treating. The best years of a boy's life may be 
literally wasted in the acqukement of a vocation for which 
he has no natural qualifications. 

To within a few years back horology was at a low ebb in 
the United States. It is beginning to look up now, how- 
ever, with excellent prospects for a glorious future. I am 
of the opinion that the day is not far distant when she will 
make not only all her own time-pieces, but will furnish a^ 
very large proportion of those used in other parts of the'- 
world. This conclusion I base upon what she has done and 
is doing already. It is truly astonishing when we take into 
consideration the fact that the business was a stranger to 
her shores up to the beginning of the nineteenth century. 

The first attempt at producing machines on American 
soil for the measurement of time was made by Eli Terry of 
Plymouth Hollow, Conn., A. D. ISOO, in the manufacture of 
the old fashioned wooden clocks. He went into the business 
on an exceedingly small scale at first, doing, I think, all the 



WATCHMAKER AND JEWELER. 15 

work himself, and acting as his own salesman and travelmg 
agent. He would finish two or three clocks^ it is said, and 
swinging them upon the back of a horse, would strike out into 
the country and peddle till the last one was sold j then, but 
not till then, he would return to his home and engage in the 
manufacture of a new cargo. 

The excellence of Mr. Teri:y's clocks, and their cheapness 
when compared to that of the imported article, soon caused 
his business to grow until the erection of a large establish- 
ment became necessary. This continued in successful oper- 
ation until Mr. Terry's death a few years ago. 

When it became known that the Plymouth Hollow clock 
factory was a paying institution, other establishments sprung 
up to rival it. Great improvements were made both in the 
materials worked and the manner of working them. Indeed, 
so rapid was the progress made that only a few brief years 
passed ere America was famed abroad for producing the 
best clocks in the world, and large exportations were con- 
stantly being made. 

An establishment for the manufacture of watches went 
into operation at Worcester, Mass., in 1812, but soon failed. 
In 1830, another was started at Hartford, Conn., but after 
turning out near one thousand watches it too went down, 
and the hope of competing successfully with English work 
seemed to die out for the present. 

In 1850, Mr. A. L. Dennison of Maine suggested the idea 
of manufacturing a watch entire in one establishment, by 
properly constructed machinery — a thing not yet thought of 
in Europe. Others took with the idea and soon joined him 
in the erection of a manufactory at Roxbury, Mass. 

I'he plan worked to the satisfaction of all concerned, but 
the site was found to be unsuitable on account of the dust ; 
consequently, in 1854, the concern was removed to Waltham, 
in the same state, where it is still (1868) in successful 
operation, turning out the celebrated " American Watches '* 
in large numbers. It is known as '■ The American Watch 
Company of Waltham, Mass.," and its watches have ac- 
quired a good reputation. 

A second watch manufactory on Mr. Dennison's plan, 
was established at Nashua, New Hampshire, but want of 
capital soon caused it to fail, and the American Watch 



16 THE AMERICAN 

Company bought its macliinery. A third is now in opera: 
tion at Elgin, Illinois, near Chicago, under style of "The 
National Watch Company." It was established in 1867. 
and its productions have a very excellent reputation. 



CHAPTER IL 

ON WATCH CLEANING. 

It is hardly necessary to say that great caution must be 
observed in taking the watch down — that is, in separating 
its parts. If you are new at the business think before you 
act, and then act slowly. Take off the hands carefully so 
as not to bend the slender pivots upon which they work : 
this will be the first step. Second — loosen and lift the 
movement from the case. Third — remove the dial and dial 
wheels. Fourth — let down the main-spring by placing your 
bench key upon the arbor, or " winding post," and turning 
as though you were going to wind the watch until the click 
rests lightly upon the ratchet 5 then with your screw-driver 
press the point of the click away from the teeth, and ease 
down the springs. Fifth — draw the screws (or pins) and 
remove the bridges of the train, or the upper plate, as the 
case may be. Sixth — take out the balance. Great care 
must be observed in this or you will injure the hair-spring. 
|The stud or little square post into which the hair-spring is 
. fastened may be removed from the bridge or plate of most 
modern watches, without unkeying the spring, by slipping a 
thin instrument, as the edge of a knife blade, under the 
corner of it and prizing upward. This will save you a con- 
siderable amount of trouble, as you will not have the hair 
spring to adjust when you reset the balance. 

If the watch upon which you propose to work has an 
upper plate, as an American or an English lever for instance, 
loosen the lever before you have entirely separated the 
plates, otherwise it will hang and most likely be broken. 

Having the machine now down, brush the dust from its 



WATCHMAKER Ais^D JEWELEE. 17 

different parts and subject them to a careful examination 
with your eye-glass. Assure yourself that the teeth of the 
wheels and leaves of the pinions are all perfect and smooth -, 
that the pivots are all straight, round and highly polished ; 
that the holes through which they are to work, are not too 
large, and have not become oval in shape -, that every jewel 
is smooth and perfectly sound ; and that none of them are 
loose in their settings. See, also, that the escapement is not 
too deep or too shallow ; that the lever or cylinder is per- 
fect 5 that all the wheels have sufficient play to avoid fric- 
tion, but not enough to derange their coming together pro- 
perly; that none of them work against the pillar-plate; that 
the balance turns horizontally and does not rub ; that the 
hair-spring is not bent or wrongly set so that the coils rub on 
each other, on the plate or on the balance ; in short, that 
everything about the whole movement is just as reason 
would teach you it should be. If you find it otherwise, pro- 
ceed to repair in accordance with a carefully weighed judg- 
ment, and the processes given in next chapter, after which 
clean — if not, the watch only needs to be cleaned, and there- 
fore you may go ahead with your work at once. 

TO CLEAN. 

Many watchmakers wet the pillar plates and bridges with 
saliva, and then dipping the brush into pulverized chalk or 
Spanish whiting, rub vigorously until they appear bright. 
This is not a good plan, as it tends to remove the plating 
and roughen the parts, and the chalk gets into the holes and 
damages them, or sticks around the edges of the v/heel-beds. 
The best process is to simply blow your breath upon the 
plate or bridge to be cleaned, and then to use your brush 
with a little prepared chalk — (See recipe for preparing it.) 
The wheels and bridges should be held between the thumb 
and linger in a piece of soft paper while undergoing the pro- 
cess ; otherwise the oil from the skin will prevent their be- 
coming clean. The pinions may be cleaned by sinking them 
several times into a piece of pith, and the holes by turning 
a nicely shaped piece of pivot wood into them, first dry and 
afterwards oiled a very little with watch oil. When the 
holes pass through jewels you must work gently to avoid 
breakino' them. 



18 THE AMERICAN 

The oiling above named is all the watch will need. A 
great fault with many watchmakers lies in their use of too 
much oil. 

THE " CHEMICAL PROCESS." 

Some watchmakers employ what they call the " Chemical 
Process" to clean and remove discolorations from watch 
movements. It is as follows : — 

Remove the screws and other steel parts ; then dampen 
with a solution of oxalic acid and water. Let it remain a 
few moments, after which immerse in a solution made of one- 
fourth pound cyanuret potassa to one gallon rain water. Let 
remain about five minutes, and then rinse well with clean 
water, after which you may dry in sawdust, or with a brush 
and prepared chalk, as suits your convenience. This gives 
the work an excellent appearance, but I cannot say that it 
makes it any better than does the old process. 

TO PEEP ARE CHALK FOR CLEANING. 

Pulverize your chalk thoroughly, and then mix it with 
clear rain water in the proportion of two pounds to the 
gallon. Stir well and then let stand about two minutes. In 
this time the gritty matter will have settled to the bottom. 
Pour the water into another vessel, slowly so as not to stu* 
up the settlings. Let stand until entirely settled, and then 
pour off as before. The settlings in the second vessel will 
be your prepared chalk, ready for use as soon as dried. 

Spanish whiting treated in the same way makes a very 
good cleaning or polishing powder. Some operatives add a 
little jeweler's rouge, and I think it is an improvement ,• it 
gives the powder a nice color at least, and therefore adds to 
its importance in the eyes of the uninitiated. In cases 
where a sharper polishing powder is required, it may be pre- 
pared in the same way from rotten stone. 

PIVOT WOOD. 

Watchmakers usually buy this article of watch-material 
dealers. A small shrub known as Indian arrow-Avood, to be 
met with in the northern and western states, makes an 



WATCHMAKER AND JEWELER. 19 

excellent pivot wood. It must be cut when the sap is down, 
and split into quarters so as to throw the pith outside of 
the rod. 

PITH FOR CLEANING. 

The stalk of the common mullen—verhascum t/iapsus — ■ 
affords the best pith for cleaning pinions that I have ever . 
yet tried. It may be found in old fields and by-places all^ 
over the country. Winter, when the stalk is dry, is the time 
to gather it. Some workmen use cork instead of pith, but 
it is not so good and far less safe. 



CHAPTER III. 

OX WATCH REPAIRING. 

I SHALL not attempt to describe, and to prescribe foi*, 
every species of defect that has been known to occur in a 
watch, for two reasons : The first is, that it would make a 
work far too large to come within the scope of my present 
plans, or to be useful ; and the second, that many of the de- 
fects constantly to be met with are of a character so simple, 
and so plain, that any person with ordinary ingenuity will 
be able to note them at once and apply the remedy. Such, 
for instance, as putting in a main-spring, a hair-spring, or a 
jewel; a mere glance at the machine will be sufficient tol 
satisfy the proposed operative with regard to the steps 
necessary to be taken, even though he may have never 
before seen the inside of a watch. 

With a view, then, to giving my reader the largest pos- 
sible amount of useful information for his money, I shall 
proceed at once to offer such modes employed in watch 
repairing as he could not easily acquire himself — in short,.to 
present in the briefest possible manner a complete exposi- 
tion of those processes in use, known as " The Secrets of 
the Trade." Once they are mastered, he will find it no 
longer a difficult matter to carry on the watch-repairing busi- 



20 THE AMERICAN 

ness with credit and success ; provided, of course, he 
possesses a reasonable amount of ingenuity and patience. 

TO PIVOT. 
When 3^ou find a pivot broken, you will hardly be at a 
loss to understand that the easiest mode of repairing the 
damage is to di'ill into the end of the pinion or staff, as the 
case may be, and having inserted a new pivot, turn it down 
to the proper proportions. This is by no means a difficult 
thing when the piece to be drilled is not too hard, or when 
the temper may be slightly drawn without injury to the 
other parts of the article. It will be difficult, however, in 
cases where you find it necessary. 

TO DEILL INTO HARDENED STEEL. 

For this purpose make your drill oval in form, instead of 
in the usual shape, and temper as hard as it will bear with- 
out crumbling. Eoughen the surface of the object into 
which you desire to drill with a little diluted nitric acid. 
Start your drill, and to prevent it from becoming heated use 
spirits of turpentine instead of oil. Some workmen use 
kerosene with gum camphor dissolved in it instead of tur- 
pentine. 

When your drill begins to run smooth in consequence of 
the bottom of the holes becoming burnished, clean out the 
turpentine or kerosene and roughen again with acid ; then 
proceed as before. 

You will find this a somewhat tedious business, but with 
a little patient application you will finally be able to accom- 
plish your object. It is the only mode for drilling into 
highly tempered steel that will work with any degree of 
certainty. 

TO TELL WHEN THE LEVER IS OF PROPER LENGTH. 

You may readily learn whether or not a lever is of proper 
length, by measuring from the guard point to the pallet 
staff, and then comparing with the roller or ruby-pin table -, 
the diameter of the table should always be just half the 
length measured on the lever. The rule will work both 
ways, and may be useful in cases when a new ruby-pin table 
has to be supplied. 



WATCHMAKER AND JEWELER. 21 

TO LENGTHEN LEVERS OF ANCHOR ESCAPEMENTS. 

Some do this by drawing the temper of the lever between 
the pallets and the fork and forging it out to the proper 
length ; others by soldering a piece the required thickness 
against the guard point just back of the fork. 

There is a new process advertised by dealers in the 
"Secrets of the Trade'' — ^price three dollars — as " The best 
and quickest means of bringing the point of the lever close 
to the roller, without hammering the point, soldering a piece 
on or stretching the lever." It is as follows :— 

Cut across with a screw-head file, just back of the fork, 
as deeply as you can with safety. The thin point thus left 
standing to itself you. will bend gently forward to the proper 
position. This is all that will be required. In the event 
you break the little point in your efforts to bend it — a thing 
not likely to happen — you can file down level, drill a hole 
and insert a pin American lever style. 

TO CHANGE DEPTH OF LEVER ESCAPEMENT. 

If you are operating on a fine watch the best plan is to 
put a new staff into the lever, cutting its pivots a little to 
one side — just as far as you desire to change the escapement. 
Common watches will not, of course, justify so much 
trouble. The usual process in their case is to knock out 
the stafi^, and with a small file cut the hole oblong in a 
direction opposite to that in which you desire to move your 
pallets J then replace the staff, wedge it to the required 
position, and secure by soft soldering. 

In instances where the staff is put in with a screw you will 
have to proceed differently. Take out the staff, prize the 
pallets from the lever, file the pin holes to slant in the direc- 
tion you would move the pallets, without changing their 
size on the other side of the lever. Connect the pieces as 
they were before, and with the lever resting on some solid 
substance you may strike lightly with your hammer until 
the bending of the pins will allow the pallets to pUss into 
position. 

TO TELL WHEN THE LEVER PALLETS ARE OF PROPER 

SIZE. 

The clear space between the pallets should correspond 



22 THE AMERICAN 

with the outside measure, on the points, of three teeth of 
the scape wheel. The usual mode of measuring for new 
pallets is to set the wheel as close as possible to free itself 
when in motion. You can arrange it in your dep thing tool, 
after which a measurement between the pivot holes of the 
two pieces, on the pillar plate, will show you esactly what 
is required. 

TO PUT TEETH INTO WHEELS 

Most watchmakers solder or dovetail their teeth in, but 
there is a new mode which I consider far better, and I know 
it is easier : Make a hole through the plate of the wheel 
immediately below the point from which the tooth has been 
broken. Let its diameter be a little greater than the width 
of a tooth. Next, with your tooth- saw cut down where the 
tooth should stand till you come into the hole. You then 
dress out with a head upon it, a piece of brass wu-e, till it 
fits nicely into the cut of the saw, with its head in the hole. 
With a fine graver you then cut a crease into the wheel- 
plate above and below, on either side of the newly -fitted 
wire ; after which, with your hammer, you cautiously spread 
the face of the wire until it fills the creases, and is securely 
clinched or riveted into the wheel. This makes a strong 
job, and one that dresses up to look as well as any other. 

TO WEAKEN THE HALR-SPRING. 

- This is often effected by grinding the spring down. You 
remove the spring from the collet, and place it upon a piece 
of pivot wood cut to fit the centre coil. A piece of soft 
steel whe, flattened so as to pass freely between the coils, 
and armed with a little pulverized oil-stone and oil, will 
serve as your grinder, and with it you may soon reduce the 
strength of the spring. Your operations will, of course, be 
confined to the centre coil, for no other part of the spring 
will rest sufficiently against the wood to enable you to grmd 
it, but this will generally suffice. The effect will be more 
rapid than one would suppose, therefore it will stand you in 
hand to be careful or you may get the spring too weak before 
you suspect it. 

Another and perhaps later process is as follows : Fit the 



WATCHMAKER AND JEWELER. 23 

collet; without removing the springy upon a stick of pivot- 
wood; and having prepared a little diluted nitric acid in a 
watch-glass^ plunge the centre coils into it, keeping the 
other parts of the spring from contact by holding it in the 
shape of an inverted hoop skirt, with your tweezers. Expose 
it a few seconds, governing the time of course by the degree 
of effect desired, and then rinse off, first with clean water, 
and afterwards with alcohol. Dry in the sun or with tissue 
paper. 

TO PEEYENT A CHAIN FROM RUNNING OFF THE FUSEE. 

In the first place you must look after and ascertain the 
cause of the difficulty. If it results from the chain^s being 
too large, the only remedy is a new chain. If it is not too 
large, and yet runs off without any apparent cause, change 
it end for end — that will generally make it go all right. In 
cases where the channel in the fusee has been damaged, and 
is rough, you will be under the necessity of dressing it over 
with a file the proper size and shape. Sometimes you find 
the chain naturally inclined to work away from the body of 
the fusee. The best way to remedy a difficulty of this kind 
is to file off a very little from the outer lower edge of the 
chain the entire length — this, as you can see, will incline it 
to work on instead of off. Some workmen, when they have 
a bad case, and a common watch, change the standing of the 
fusee so as to cause the winding end of its arbor to incline a 
little from the barrel. This, of course, cannot do otherwise 
than make the chain run to its place. 

TO PUT WATCHES IN BEAT. 

' If a cylinder escapement, or a detached lever, put the 
balance into position, then turn the regulator so that it will 
point directly to the pivot-hole of the pallet staff if a lever, 
or of the scape-wheel if a cylinder. Then lift out the balance 
with its bridge or clock, turn it over and set the ruby pin 
directly in line with the regulator, or the square cut of the 
cylinder at right angles with it. Your watch will then be 
iQ perfect beat. 

In case of an American or an English lever, when the re- 
gulator is placed upon the plate^ you will have to proceed 



•24 THE AMERICAN 

differently. Fix the balance into its place, cut off the con- 
nection of the train, if the mainspring is not entirely down, 
by slipping a fine broach into one of the wheels, then look 
between the plates and ascertain how the lever stands. If 
the end farthest from the balance is equi-distant between 
the two brass pins it is all right — if not, change the hair- 
spring till it becomes so. 

If dealing with a duplex watch, you must see that the 
roller notch, when the balance is at rest, is exactly between 
the locking tooth and the line of centre — ^that is, a line drawn 
from the centre of the roller to the centre of the scape- 
wheel. The balance must start from its rest and move 
through an arc of about ten degrees before bringing the 
locking tooth into action. 

TO TIGHTEN A COMMON PIIsION ON THE CENTEE ARBOR. 

The most common way is to put a hair into tHe cannon 
and force it down upon the arbor, but this is objectionable 
from the fact that it sets the pinion just the width of the 
hair to one side. Another way is to twist the arbor lightly 
into a pair of cutting plyers, raising a thread or burr upon 
it. I could not recommend this mode as there is too much 
danger of bending the arbor in the operation. I generally 
roll tlie arbor between two files, letting the square part be to 
one side of them, of course. A very slight roll between 
two files will generally tighten the cannon, and there can 
be no danger of bending the arbor or setting the pinions to 
one side. 

TO TIGHTEN A RUBY PIN. 

Set the ruby pin in asphaltum varnish. It will become 
hard in a few minutes, and be much firmer and better than 
gum shellac, as generally used. 



CHAPTER IV. 
ON MENDING WATCH TRAINS. 

When a wheel or a pinion is wanting in the train of a 
watch, it is usual to say the train is broken ; and the act of 
supplying that wheel or pinion is generally termed mending 
the train. This, according to the old plan of working 
involved no small amount of labor, in the way of calcula- 
tions, to get the proper size of the new piece. A person 
was under the necessity of being a good algebra scholar to 
do it. The recent, or I might say the American system — 
for European watchmakers still hold to their old ways — 
makes it much easier. A few simple tables have been 
gotten up by which any person who knows how to count 
and to measure may select the piece he wants in a few 
minutes. 

TO DETERMINE THE EEQUIRED DIAMETER OF A PINION. 



For size of Pinion 
with 


Measures on Wheel. 


Character of Measure. 


4 leaves, 


2 teeth, 


Very full from out to out. 


5 leaves, 


3 teeth, 


Exactly from centre to centre. 


6 leaves, 


3 teeth, 


Full from centre to centre. 


r 7 leaves, 


3 teeth, . . 


Scant from out to out. 


S leaves, .... 


4 teeth, 


Scant from centre to centre. 


9 leaves, 


4 teeth, 


Full from out to out. 


10 leaves, 


4 teeth, 


Exactly from out to out. 


12 leaves 


5 teeth, 


Exactly from centre to centre. 


14 leaves, 


6 teeth, 


Scant from centre to centre. 


15 leaves 


6 teeth, 


Scant from out to out. 


17 leaves, 


7 teeth, 


Full from centre to centre. 



26 



THE AMERICAN 



TABLES OF NON-SECOND WATCH TRAINS. 



Centre 
Wheel. 


SdWheeland 
Pinion. 


4tli Wheel and 
Pinion. 


Scape Wheel 
and Pinion. 


Beats per 
minute. 


.1 


II 


1 

.2 
1 


.2 
.2 

i 
1 


1 
a 


c 

i 
1 


> 

ll 

'Ha 

8'3 


.2 
'■B 


p 

1 


O 


o 

S 

5 


66 


63 


6 


63 


6 


31 


7 


6 


283 scant 


'oJ 


66 


64 


6 


63 


6 


31 


7 


6 


287 full 


'"",-.• 


66 


64 


6 


64 


6 


31 


7 


6 


292 full 


> — 


72 


66 


6 


58 


6 


27 


7 


6 


298 scant 


^^.^ 


66 


63 


6 


62 


6 


31 


7 


6 


278 full 


- & 


66 


63 


6 


61 


6 


31 


7 


6 


274 scant 


s: 


66 


63 


6 


60 


6 


31 


7 


6 


267 full 


5 



60 
60 
60 
60 
60 
60 
60 
60 
60 
60 
60 



56 
54 
57 
53 
55 
52 
54 
51 
53 
52 



6 I 50 



6 


34 


9 


6 


6 


33 


9 


6 


6 


34 


9 


6 


6 


33 


9 


6 


6 


34 


9 


6 


6 


33 


9 


6 


6 


34 


9 


6 


6 


33 


9 


6 


6 


34 


9 


6 


6 


34 


9 


6 


6 


33 


9 


6 



294..... 

297 

299 full 
291 full 
289 scant 

286 , 

283 full 
280 full 
278 full 

273 

275 



58 


56 


6 


53 


6 


40 




6 


292 full 


_. 


64 


52 


6 


52 


6 


30 




6 


294 scant 


1 


60 


56 


6 


52 


6 


30 




6 


230 scant 


Z 


60 


60 


6 


49 


6 


36 


11 


6 


300 scant 


i 


60 


54 


6 


54 


6 


40 




6 


397 




60 


54 


6 


53 


6 


40 




6 


291 full 


■B 


62 


54 


6 


51 


6 


39 




6 


290 scant 


-2 


58 


54 


6 


54 


6 


41 




6 


287 full 


a) 


58 


55 


6 


53 


6 


41 


11 


6 


287 


"3 


59 


54 


6 


53 


6 


41 




6 


286 full 


^ 


60 


54 


6 


52 


6 


40 




6 


286...... 


•5 


61 


55 


6 


51 J 


6 


39 J 




6 


286 scant 1 


H 



WATCHMAKER AND JEWELER. 



27 



TABLES OF NON-SECOND WATCH TRAINS. 
(Continued.) 



Centre 

■wheel. 


3d Wheel and 
Piuion. 


4th Wheel and 
Pinion. 


Scape Wheel 
and Pinion, 


Beats per 
minute. 


.9 
'5 


1- 


"a 


d 

1 


50 


a 

i 
1 
6 


8 ° 
39 


11 


a 

i 

1 

6 


42 

1 


o 

s 


56 


55 


6 


285 scant 




GO 


55 


6 


48 


6 


38 


11 


6 


282 full 




62 


54 


6 


52 


6 


41 


11 


6 


281 scant 




63 


54 


6 


51 


6 


40 


11 


6 


281 full 




63 


54 


6 


50 


6 


39 


11 


6 


280 scant 




70 


54 


6 


54 


6 


43 


11 


6 


277 full 




70 


60 


6 


48 


6 


36 


11 


6 


293 full 




70 


54 


6 


52 


6 


39 


11 


6 


295 full 




60 


54 


6 


50 


6 


38 


11 


6 


289 scant 




63 


48 


6 


56 


6 


43 


11 


6 


287 full 


1 


63 


70 


7 


56 


7 


36 


11 


7 


293 full 




SO 


70 


7 


48 


7 


36 


11 


6 


293 full 




SO 


60 


7 


48 


6 


36 


11 


6 


293 full 


i 


so 


70 


6 


48 


7 


36 


11 


6 


293 full 


.5 

5 


so 


50 


6 


56 


7 


40 


11 


6 


287 full 




so 


63 


6 


50 


7 


38 


11 


6 


289 scant 




so 


80 


8 


64 


8 


36 


11 


8 


293 full 


r2 


70 


80 


8 


56 


8 


36 


11 


7 


293 full 


1 


70 


80 


8 


48 


8 


36 


11 


6 


293 full 


c 


C3 


56 


6 


56 


7 


40 


11 


6 


287 full 


g 


C3 


64 


6 


56 


8 


40 


11 


6 


287 full 


■■ 


S4 


48 


8 


56 


6 


40 


11 


6 


287 full 




SI- 


56 


8 


56 


7 


40 


11 


6 


287 full 




84 


64 


8 


56 


8 


40 


11 


6 


287 full 




63 


63 


6 


50 


7 


38 


11 


6 


289 scant 




G3 


72 


6 


50 


8 


38 


11 


6 


289 scant 




Si 


54 


8 


50 


6^ 


38 


11 


6 


289 scant 




S4 


63 


8 


50 


7 


38 


I'l 


6 


289 scant 




GO 


72 


S 


50 


8 


38 


11 


6 


289 scant 




70 


80 


6 


48 


8 1 


36 


11 


6 


293 full 





28 



THE AMERICAN- 



TABLES OF XON-SECOND TTATCn TRAINS. 
(Continued.) 



Centre 


3d Wheel and 


4tli Wheel and 


Scape Wheel 


Beats per 




wheel. 


Pin 


ion. 


Pinion. 




and Pinion. 


minute. 


■^5 


Hi 

o.S 
'A 


1 


d 

i 

^3 


2 


1^ 


>- 
2 . 

H 

8 "^ 
w. 


1 


o 

t-1 


d 


o 
6 


70 


80 


7 


48 


8 


36 


6 


293 full 


SS. 


80 


80 


7 


56 


8 


36 




7 


293 full 




80 


60 


8 


48 


6 


36 




6 


293 full 


^.2_. 


80 


70 


8 


48 


7 


36 




6 


293 full 




80 


70 


8 


56 


7 


36 




7 


293 full 





52 


52 


6 


51 


6 


48 


13 


6 


277 scant 




57 


51 


6 


48 


6 


44 


13 


6 


280 scant 




^^ 


51 


6 


49 


6 


45 


13 


6 


281 scant 




54 


52 


6 


50 


6 


46 


13 


6 


282 scant 




50 


51 


6 


50 


6 


45 


13 


6 


284 full 




54 


43 


6 


50 


6 


45 


13 


6 


287 full 




54 


52 


6 


51 


6 


46 


13 


6 


287 full 


w 


57 


53 


6 


48 


6 


43 


13 


6 


291 scant 


g 


^^ 


54 


6 


48 


6 


44 


13 


6 


291 full 


^ 


56 


53 


6 


49 


6 


44 


13 


6 


292 scant 


re 


54: 


53 


6 


51 


6 


45 


13 


6 


293 scant 


S 


60 


51 


6 


48 


6 


42 


13 


6 


294 full 


■^ 


59 


51 


6 


49 


6 


43 


13 


- 6 


296 scant 




56 


53 


6 


50 


6 


44 


13 


6 


298 scant 


a 


54 


53 


6 


52 


6 


45 


13 


6 


298 full 




53 


52 


6 


50 


6 


46 


13 


6 


276 full 


>H 


52 


52 


6 


52 


6 


46 


13 


6 


293 scant 


s 


55 


51 


6 


51 


6 


46 


13 


6 


287 


2 


56 


50 


6 


51 


6 


46 


13 


6 


286 full 


B 


56 


52 


6 


48 


6 


44 


13 


6 


280 full 




56 


52 


6 


50 


6 


44 


13 


6 ■ 


292 full 




60 


48 


6 


48 


6 


45 


13 


6 


27 7 full 




60 


50 


6 


48 


,6 


43 


13 


6 


289 scant 




60 


54 


6 


60 


8 


53 


13 


6 


292 full 




60 


58 


7 


56 


7 


51 


13 


6 


287 full 





WATCHMAKER AND JEWELER. 



29 



TABLES OF ]\^OX-SECOXD WATCH TRAINS. 

(Continued ) 



Centre 


3a Wheel aiul 


4th 


Wlieel 


an.l 


Scajie 


Wheel 


Beats per 




wlieel. 


rinion. 




Pinion. 




and] 


'inion. 


, minute. 


.5 


^ a' 
o f 
6 c 




.5 

i 

>3 


54 


.s 


"m .2 
1'= 


t 

.s 

,3 

o 

o 




c 


5 


60 


60 


8 


6 


44 


13 


6 


300 




62 


56 


7 


dQ 


7 


47 


13 


6 


396 full . 




63 


52 


7 


51 


6 


60 


13 


6 


285 


2 5_. 


63 


60 


7 


60 


7 


60 


13 


6 


290 


_L S 1 


64 


60 


7 


60 


7 


60 


13 


6 


285 


'£5^ 


7-^ 


70 
68 


8 
8 


68 

68 


8 
8 


60 
60 


13 
13 


6 
6 


280 


•5 i 


74 


286 full 


^ 



45 
45 
45 
45 

48 
50 
48 
56 
50, 
.60 
64 
64 
64 
-50 
48 
04 
80 
80 
80 
80 
80 
80 



5Q 
57 

58 
59 
46 
48 
46 
56 
58 
60 
50 
5Q 
04 
48 
43 
48 
64 
5Q 
48' 
64 
I 5Q 
I 43 



8 

6 

6 

8 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 



50 
62 
62 
60 

50 
48 
50 
50 
50 
50 
50 
50 
50 
50 
50 
50 
50 
50 
50 
50 
50 
50 



15 

15 

15 

15 

15 

15 

15 j 

15 

15 

15 

15 

15 

15 

15 

15 

15 

15 

15 

15 

15 

15 

15 



288 

288 

300 

291 scant 
290 

286 

289 scant 

288 

288 

288 

288 

288 

288 

288 

288 

288 

288 

288 

288 

288 

288, 

288 



33 



THE AMEEICA^T 



TABLES OF XOX-SECOXD "^ATCK TRAINS. 
(Continued.) 



(-'en tie 
ivheel. 


3<nVheolaiul 
Pinion. 


4tli 


Wheel 
Pinion 


and 


Scape Wheel 
and Pinion. 


Beats per 
minute. 




Il 

6 ~ 
'A' 


1 


1 i 
1 


1 

o 
o 


J 




1 








72 


64 


8 


5^ 


8 


50 


17 


8 


286 scant. 




G4 


64 


8 


64 


8 


50 


17 


8 


290 full. 




48 


48 


6 


45 


6 


53 


17 


6 


272 




48 


48 


6 


46 


6 


53 


17 


6 


278 


1 


64 


80 


8 


48 


10 


53 


17 


6 


299 full. 


'■p- 


54 


48 


6 


44 


6 


50 


17 


6 


299 full. 


^ 


51 


48 


6 


45 


6 


53 


17 


6 


295 fulL 


'i 


54 


48 


6 


43 


6 


50 


17 


6 


292 full. 


- 


48 


48 


6 


48 


6 


53 


17 


6 


290 full. 


1 


51 


48 


6 


45 


6 


53 


17 


6 


289 




54 


48 


6 


42 


6 


53 


17 


6 


286 scant. 


1 


48 


48 


6 


47 


6 


53 


17 


6 


284 full. 


p 


51 


48 


6 


44 


6 


53 


17 


6 


283 scant. 


t! 


64 


64 


8 


60 


8 


53 


17 


8 


289 scant. 


^r 


56 


56 


7 


m 


7 


53 


17 


7 


290 full. 


S 


63 


56 


7 


49 


7 


53 


17 


7 


286 scant. 


H 


64 


^Q> 


8 


48 


7 


53 


17 


6 


290 full. 




80 


80 


10 


64 


10 


53 


17 


■8 


290 full. 




SO 


64 


10 


64 


8 


53 


17 


8 


290 full. 




80 


64 


10 


^Q> 


8 


53 


17 


7 


290 full. 




80 


64 


10 


48 


8 


53 


17 


6 


290 full. 




SO 


56 


10 


56 


7 


53 


17 


7 


2^0 full. 




SO 


b^ 


10 


48 


7 


53 


17 


6 


290 full. 




64 


80 i 


8 


64 


10 


53 


17 


8 


290 full. 




64 


80 1 


8 


b^ 


10 


53 


17 


7 


290 full. 





WATCHMAKER AND JEWELER 



31 



TABLES OF FOURTH WHEEL SECOXD WATCH TRAINS. 



Centre 
wheel. 


3d Wheel and 
Pillion. 


4th Wheel 
Pinion 


and 


Scare Wheel 
and Pinion. 


Beats per 
minute. 






1 

1 
[-1 

45 


i 

% 
1-1 

6 


1 

1 


h-1 


2 ^^ 

'to 5 

"^ '"5 


a; 

',3 

1 


i 


1 

"3 

d 




48 


76 


6 


60 




6 


279 scant/ 


I 


48 


45 


6 


74 


6 


GO 




6 


271 full. 


o ■ 


48 


45 


6 


71 


6 


60 




6 


260 full. 


!^ 


^Q> 


60 


7 


74 


8 


60 




6 


271 full. 


^ 


48 


75 


6 


78 


6 


60 




6 


286 


-2 


60 


79 


7 


74 


7 


60 




6 


271 full. 


Oj 


GO 


79 


7 


76 


7 


60 




6 


279 scant. 


'3 


GO 


79 


7 


78 


7 


60 




6 


286 


e. 


45 


56 


6 


74 


7 


60 




6 


271 full. 


t 


45 


5^ 


6 


76 


7 


60 




6 


279 scant. 




45 


b^ 


6 


78 


7 


60 




6 


286 




C4 


60 


8 


74 


8 


60 




6 


271 full. 


% 


G4 


60 


8 


76 


8 


60 




6 


279 scant. 


'p 


G4 


60 


s 


78 


8 


60 




6 


286 


■^ 


GO 


^o^ 


8 


74 


7 


60 




6 


271 full. 


o 


GO 


b^ 


8 


78 


7 


60 




6 


286 




GO 


78 


8 


74 


6 


60 




6 


271 full. 




48 


78 


8 


78 


6 


60 




6 


286 




48 


60 


6 


74 


8 


60 




6 


271 full. 




48 


60 


6 


78 


8 


60 


11 


6 


286 




GO 


b^ 


8- 


76 


7 


60 


11 


6 


279 scant. 





64 


60 


8 


66 


8 


60 


13 


6 


286 


'1-^ 


64 


60 


8 


67 


8 


60 


13 


6 


290 full. 


1"^ 


56 


75 


7 


68 


10 


60 


13 


6 


295 scant. 


^5s 


45 


bQ> 

49 


6 

7 




7 
7 


00 
GO 


13 
13 


.6 
6 


286 


-i=?1 


60 


286 





32 



THE AMERICAN 



TABLES OF FOURTH WHEEL SECOND WATCH TRAINS. 
(Continued.) 



Centre 
■wheel. 


3dWheeland 
Pinion. 


4tli Wheel and 
Pinion. 


Scape Wheel 
and Pinion. 


Beats per 
minute. 




o ^ 
'A 


1 
.S 

1 


.S 

O 

^^ 
7 
8 
8 
7 
6 
6 
6 
6 
8 

10 
8 
6 
6 


1 

77 
69 
68 
67 
QQ 
67 
68 
69 
66 
66 
66 
66 


.s 

1 


.s ^ 

« .2 


1 


1 


o 
1^ 


13 
.5 


60 
64 
64 
60 

48 
48 
48 
48 
60 
80 
64 
48 
48 


49 
60 
60 
49 
45 
45 
45 
45 
56 
60 
75 
60 
75 


7 
8 
8 
7 
6 
6 
6 
6 
7 
8 

10 
8 

10 


60 
60 
60 
60 
60 
60 
60 
60 
60 
60 
60 
60 
60 


13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 


7 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 


286 

299 

295 scant. 
- 290 full. 

286 

290 full. 
264 scant. 

299 

286 .- 

286 

286 - 

286 

286 


-2 

1 

o 

3 



64 


45 


8 


60 


6 


60 


15 


6 


64 


60 


8 


60 


8 


60 


15 


6 


64 


64 


8 


70 


10 


60 


15 


7 


64 


60 


8 


70 


8 


60 


15 


7 


60 


56 


8 


60 


7 


60 


15 


6 


48 


60 


6 


60 


8 


60 


15 


6 


60 


70 


7 


70 


7 


60 


15 


7 


60 


49 


7 


60 


7 


60 


15 


6 


48 


49 


6 


60 


. 6 


60 


15 


6 


80 


45 


10 


70 


8 


60 


15 


7 


75 


60 


10 


60 


8 


60 


15 


6 


64 


75 


7 


60 


10 


60 


15 


6 



300 
300 
300 
300 
300 
300 
300 
300 
300 
S'OO 
300 
300 



^ATCEMAKBE AND JEWELEE. 



33 



TABLES OF FOURTH WSEEL SECOND WATCH TRAINS. 
(Continued.) 



Centrfi 
wheel. 


S.lWJieeland 
Pinion. 


4tli Wheel and 
Pinion. 


Scape Wheel 
and Pinion. 


Beats per 
minute. 




It 


1 
1 


1 




5 
.5 

i 

1 




1 


.s 

i 

> 
o 


S 

o 
d 


9 


56 
56 
C4 
60 
64 
48 
60 
60 
60 
48 
64 
60 
48 
64 
60 
60 
48 


75 

75 
75 
60 
56 
45 
6P 
56 
49 
49 
45 
60 
50 
60 
45 
49 
45 


7 
8 
8 
8 
8 
6 
7 
8 
7 
6 
8 
8 
6 
8 
7 
7 
6 


70 
60 
54 
54 
54 
54 
63 
48 
54 
54 
48 
48 
48 
48 
56 
48 
48 


10 
10 

8 
7 
6 
8 
7 
7 

• 7 
6 
8 

• 7 
8 
6 
7 
7 
6 


60 
60 
60 
60 
60 
60 
60 
60 
60 
00 
60 
60 
00 
60 
60 
60 
60 


15 
15 
15 
15 
15 
15 
15 
15 
15 
15 
15 
15 
15 
15 
15 
15 
15 


7 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
7 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
7 
6 
6 


300 

300 

270 .. 

270 

270 

270 

270 .. 

240 

270 

270 

240 

240 

240 

240 

240 

240 

240 


i 
% 

o 
a 

1 

fi 

3 

o 



60 


56 


8 


51 


7 


00 


17 


6 


64 


60 


8 


50 


8 


60 


17 


6 


64 


60 


8 


51 


8 


00 


17 


6 


75 


56 


10 


68 


7 


60 


17 


8 


80 


60 


10 


, 50 


8 


60 


17 


6 


75 


64 


10 


50 


8 


60 


17 


6 


75 


08 


10 


OS 


8 


60 


17 


8 


80 


75 


10 


68 


10 


60 


17 


8 



289 

283 full. 

289 

289 

283 full. 
283 full. 
289 .... 
289 



34 



THE AMERICAN 



TABLES OF FOITRTn T7EEEL SECOXD WATCH TRAINS. 
(Continued.) 



Centre 
wheel. 



.a 



3d Wheel and 


'Ith Wheel 


and 


Scape 


Wheel 


Pinion. 




Pinion 




and Pinion 


1 


1 


1 

"5 




OT .2 

M2 


1 




72 


6 


60 


12 


60 




6 


CO 


6 


60 


10 


60 




6 


48 


6 


^ 00 


8 


60 




6 


GO 


6 


60 


. 8 


60 




6 


60 


6 


54 


8 


60 




6 


72 


6 


54 


12 


60 




6 


60 


6 


48 


8 


60 




6 


60 


6 


54 


10 


60 




6 


72 


6 


48 


12 


60 




6 


•60 


6 


48 


10 


60 




6 



Beats per 
minute. 



300 
300 
300 
300 
270 
270 
240 
270 
240 
240 



64 I 60 



American AYatch. 



I 64 i 8 I 60 I 15 I 7 I 300 



Trial Watch. 



80 I 75 I 10 I 80 ! 10 I 60 | 15 I 8 \ 300 



CHAPTER V. 

OX TEMPERING. 

No part of his trade gives the self-instructed watchmaker 
more trouble than the acquirement of an ability to temper, 
as they should be, his various tools and pieces of machinery ; 
in fact a whole life devoted to experiments and study touch- 
ing this department, would not be liliely to attain the 
desired end. And yet all the processes employed are so 
amazingly simple as to lead one to wonder, when he under- 
stands them, w/ty he did not know all about them before. 

TO TEMPER BRASS, OR TO DRAW ITS TEMPER. 

Brass is rendered hard by hammering or rolling, therefore 
when you make a thing of brass, necessary to be in temper, 
you must prepare the material before shaping the article. 
Temper may be drawn from brass by heating it to a cherry 
red, and then simply plunging it into water the same as 
though you were going to temper steel. 

TO TEMPER DRILLS. 

Select none but the finest and best steel for your drills. 
In making them never heat higher than a cherry red, and 
always hammer till nearly cold. Do all your hammering in 
one way, for if, after you have flattened your piece out, you 
attempt to hammer it back to a square or a round you spoil 
it. When your drill is in proper shape heat it to a cherry 
red, and thrust it into a piece of resin, or into quicksilver. 

Some use a solution of cyanuret potassa and rain-water 
for tempering their drills, but for my part I have always 
found the resin or quicksilver to work best. 

TO TEMPER GRAVERS. 

Gravers and other instruments larger than drills, may be 
tempered in quicksilver as above; or you may use lead 



36 THE AMERICAN 

instead of quicksilver. Cut down into the lead, say half an 
inch ; then, having heated your instrument to a light cherry 
red, press it firmly into the cut. The lead will melt around 
it, and an excellent temper will be imparted. 

TO TEMPER CASE SPPtlNGS. 

Having fitted the spring into the case according to your 
liking, temper it hard by heating and plunging into water. 
Next polish the small end so that you may be able tt) see 
when the color changes ; lay it on a piece of copper or brass 
plate, and hold the plate over your lamp, with the blaze 
directly under the largest part of the spring. Watch the 
polished part of the steel closely, and when you see it turn 
blue remove the plate from the lamp, letting all cool gradu- 
ally together. When cool enough to handle polish the end 
of the spring again, place it on the plate and hold over the 
lamp as before. The third bluing of the polished end will 
leave the spring in proper temper. Any steel article to 
which you desire to give a spring temper may be treated in 
the same way. 

Another process said to be good — I have never tried it- 
is to temper the spring as in the first instance 5 then put it 
into a small iron ladle, cover it with linseed oil and hold 
over a lamp till the oil takes fire. Kemovc the ladle, but 
let the oil continue to burn until nearly all consumed, when 
blow out, re-cover with oil and hold over the lamp as 
before. The third burning out of the oil will leave the 
spring in the right temper. 

TO TEMPER CLICKS, RATCHETS, ETC. 

.' Clicks, ratchets or other steel articles requiring a similar 
degree of hardness should be tempered in mercurial oint- 
ment. The process consists in simply heating to.a cherry 
red and plunging into the ointment. No other mode will 
combine toughness and hardness to such an extent. 

TO DRAW THE TEMPER FROM DELICATE STEEL PIECES 
WITHOUT SPRINGING THEM. 

Place the articles from which you desire to draw the 
temper into a common iron clock key. Fill around it with 



WATCHMAKER AXD JEWELER, 37 

brass or iron filings, and then plug up the open end with a 
steel, iron or brass plug, made to fit closely. Talie the 
handle of the key with your plycrs and hold its pipe into the 
blaze of a lamp till near hot, then let it cool gradually. 
When sufficiently cold to handle, remove the plug, and you 
will find the article with its temper fully drawn, but in all 
other respects just as it was before. 

You will understand the reason for having the article 
thus plugged up while passing it through the heating and 
cooling process, when I tell you that springing always 
results from the action of changeable currents of atmosphere. 
The temper may be drawn from cylinders, staff's, pinions, or 
any other delicate pieces by this mode with perfect safety. 

TO TEMPER STAFFS, CYLINDERS OR PINIONS, 
WITHOUT SPRINGING THEM. 

Prepare the articles as in preceding process, using a steel 
plug. Having heated the key-pipe to a cherry red, plunge 
it into water 5 then polish the end of your steel plug, place 
the key upon a plate of brass or copper, and hold it over 
your lamp with the blaze immediately under the pipe till 
the polished part becomes blue. Let cool gradually, then 
polish again. Blue and cool a second time, and the work 
will be done. 

TO DRAW THE TEMPER FROM PART OF A SMALL STEEL 
ARTICLE. 

Hold the part from which you wish to draw the temper, 
with a pair of tweezers, and Avith your blow-pipe direct the 
flame upon them — not the article — till sufficient heat is 
communicated to the article to produce the desired effect. 

TO BLUE SCREWS EVENLY. 

Take an old watch barrel and drill as many holes mto the 
head of it as you desire to blue screws at a time. Fill it 
about one-fourth full of brass or iron filings, put in the head, 
and then fit a wire, long enough to bend over for a handle, 
into the arbor holes — head of the barrel upwards. Brighten 
the heads of your screws, set them, point downwards, into 
the holes already drilled, and expose the bottom of the 



38 THE AMERICAN 

barrel to your lamp till the screws assume the color you 
wish 

TO EEMOVE BLUING FEOM STEEL. 

Immerse in a pickle composed of equal parts muriatic 
acid and elixir vitriol. Hinse in pure water and dry in 
tissue paper. 

TO CASE-HARDEN lEON. 

Heat to a bright red in a crucible or ladle 5 pour in enough 
powdered cyanid of potash to cover it ; let remain five or six 
seconds, and then turn out into rain water. The piece treated 
in this way will polish up equal to steel, and be almost quite 
as hard. 



— (X>1:0<00^ 



CHAPTER YI. 



ON MILLS, BROACHES, FILES AND BURNISHERS. 

Your .diamond mills, diamond broaches and diamond 
files you can generally buy ready made to suit, though 
instances may occur in which you will require them of a 
peculiar size and shape, not to be had of the dealers. It is, 
therefore, best to know how to prepare them. I make- all 
my own for two reasons — they are better than those I can 
buy, and they do not cost me anything like as much. 

To make these articles diamond dust is necessary. This 
you can buy in most of the large cities ready prepared. It 
is not a costly article 5 one dollar^s worth will last you a 
long time. 

TO MAKE A DIA^IOND T^IILL. 

Make a plain brass wheel about two inches in diameter, and 
arrange it to work to your foot-lathe. Place it fiat on 
some solid substance, and having oiled its face, sprinkle it 
thinly with coarse diamond dust. With a smoothe hammer 
then tap it lightly till the diamond dust is thoroughly driven 
into the brass. The brass will bur around it and hold it 



WATCHMAKER AN^D JEWELER. 39 

securely in place. We use the oil to prevent the dust from 
bounding off while undergoing the process of hammering. 

A mill prepared in this way will last for years. I have 
one now in my shop, upon which I have ground watch, specta- 
cle and breastpin glasses for five years, and yet it appears as 
sharp, and cuts as well as it did at first. As the wheel 
wears off the diamond grains seem to sink into the brass 
from the effect of the grinding. 

TO MAKE DIAMOND BROAG^IES. 

Make your broaches of brass the size and shape you 
desire; then, having oiled them slightly, roll their points 
into fine diamond dust till entirely covcrv3d. Hold them 
then on the face of your anvil and tap with a light hammer 
till the grains disappear in the brass. Great caution will 
be necessary in this operation. Do not tap heavy enough 
to flatten the broach. Very light blows are all that will be 
required; the grains will be driven in much sooner than 
one would imagine. 

Some roll the broach between two smoothe pieces of steel 
to imbed the diamond dust. It is a very good way, but 
somewhat more wasteful of the dust. 

Broaches made on this plan are used for dressing out 
jewels. 

TO MAKE POLISHIXG BROACHES. 

These are usually made of ivory, and used with diamond 
dust, loose, instead of having been driven in. You oil the 
broach lightly, dip it into the finest diamond dust and pro- 
coed to work it into the jewel the same as you dj the brass 
broach. Unfortunately too many watchuiakers fiiil to attacli 
sufficient importance to the polishing broach. The sluggish 
motion of watcbes now-a-days, is more often attributable to 
rough jewels than to any other cause. 

TO MAKE DIAMOND FILES. 

Shape your file of brass, and charge with diamond dust, 
as in ease of the mill. Grade the dust in accordance with 
the coarse or fine character of the file desired, 

TO MAKE PIVOT FILES. 
Dress up a piece of wood file fashion, about an inch 



40 THE AMERICAN 

broad, and glue a piece of fine emery paper upon it. Shape 
your file then, as you wish it, of the best cast-steel, and 
before tempering pass your emery paper heavily across 
it several times, diagonally. Temper by heating to a 
cherry red, and, plunging into linseed oil. Old worn pivot 
files may be dressed over and made new by this process. 
At first thought one would be led to regard them too 
slightly cut to work well, but not so. They dress a pivot 
more rapidly than any other file. 

TO MAKE BUllNISIIEES. 

Proceed the same as in making pivot files, with the excep- 
tion that you are to use fine flour of emery on a slip of oiled 
brass or copper, instead of the emery paper. Burnishers 
which have become too smoothe may be improved vastly 
with the flour of emery as above without drawing the temper. 

TO PREPARE A BURNISHER FOR POLISHING. 

Melt a little beeswax on the face of your burnisher. Its 
efi'ect then, on brass or other finer metals, will be equal to 
the best buff. A small burnisher prepared in this way is 
the very thing with which to polish up watch wheels. Rest 
them on a piece of pith while polishing. 



CHAPTER VII. 

ON CLEANING AND REPAIRING CLOCKS. 

The clocks now generally in use among our people are 
so simple in their construction, and the processes employed 
to keep them in order are so few and plain, that a lengthy 
treatise on the subject as indicated by the above heading, 
could hardly be profitable. Almost any person endowed 
with common sense and a taste for working at light ma- 
chineiy, may, with a little practice, clean and repair clocks 
successfully. 

With all its simplicity, however, there are many persons 
following the business of cleaning and repairing clocks who 



I 



WATCHMAKER AND JEWELEE. 41 

do not give satisfaction j or^ in other words, who do not 
seem to possess all the necessary requisites. As an illustra- 
tion—a man will come to your house, perhaps, take down 
your clock, clean it properly, repair it all right, put it up 
as it should be, and then— spoil the job by oiling all the 
pivots and probably the pinions. The requisite lacking in 
this case is good common sense. If he had possessed this 
he would have seen t'hat to oil the pivots or pinions would be 
to cause their accumulation of dust ; that this dust mixing 
with the oil, must increase the friction by causing the parts 
to grind together, to say nothing of a gum sure to result 
■ — either oi which, without the other, could not do otherwise 
than stop the machine sooner or later, 

We often hear persons complaining of their clocks stop- 
ping in cold weather— in nine cases out of ten the cause 
may be attributed to this very injudicious use of oil. A gum 
has formed on the pivots or pinions, or both, which stiffens 
under the influence of the cold, and, of course, stops the 
movement. But this is not the only bad result. A clock 
grinding along in consequence of having been improperly 
oiled, will wear out in less than half the time that it would 
under other circumstances. The reason in this must be 
apparent to all — each pivot or each pinion leaf has been 
converted, as it were, into a grindstone. 

I am sorry to say that a large per cent, of the professed 
clock-tinkerers straggling over our country do work on the 
plan just named. They are generally men who are too lazy 
to earn an honest living by hard labor, and too dull to do it 
in any other way. If a man is disposed to work at clocks, 
and possesses the requirements that will enable him to do 
it well, a necessity for much '^ tramping" will never spring- 
up. A community can easily be found that will give him a 
permanent business. And unless the person applying for a 
''job" is known, or can furnish satisfactory evidence that 
he understands his business, and is honest enough to do 
well what he understands, my advice is to keep him and the 
clock as far apart as possible. Better ten to one that the 
owner go to work and put it in repair himself ; for certain 
it is that he will not willfully injure his own property. 

Under the impression then that this book may possibly 
fall into the hands of some who, in consequence of not 



42 THE AMERICAN 

being convenient to the establishment of a regular watch 
or clock repairer, would like to keep their own clocks in 
order, I shall proceed to give a few simple directions, which, 
if followed, will enable them to do so without trouble. 

TO CLEAN A CLOCK. 

Take the movement of the clock "to pieces/"^ Brush 
the wheels and pinions thoroughly with a stiff, coarse brush 5 
also the plates into which the trains work. Clean the 
pivots well by turning in a piece Of cotton cloth held tightly 
between your thumb and finger. The pivot holes in the 
plates are generally cleansed by turning a piece of wood 
into them, but I have always found a strip of cloth or a 
soft cord drawn tightly through them to act the best. li 
you use two cords, the first one slightly oiled, and the next 
dry to clean the oil out, all the better. Do not use salt or 
acid to clean your clock — it can do no good, but may do a 
great deal of harm. Boiling the movement in water, as 
some practice, is also foolishness 

TO BUSH. 

The holes through which the great arbors, or winding 
axles work, are the only ones that usually require bushing. 
When they have become too much worn the great wheel 
on the axle before named strikes too deeply into the pinions 
above it, arid stops the clock. To remedy this bushing is 
necessary, of course. The most common way of doing it is 
to drive a steel point or punch into the plate just above the 
axle hole, thus forcing the brass downward until the hole is 
reduced to its original size. Another mode is to solder a 
piece of brass upon the plate in such a position as to hold 
the axle down to its proper place. If you simply wish your 
clock to run, and have no ambition to produce a bush that 
will look workmanlike, about as good a way as any is to fit 
a piece of hard wood between the post which comes through 
the top of the plate and the axle. Make it long enough to 
hold the axle to its proper place, and so that the axle will 
run on the end of the grain. Cut notches where the pivots 
come through, and secure by wrapping around it and the 
plate a piece of small wire,. or a thread. There is no post 
coming through above the axle on the striking side, but this 



WATCHMAKER AXD JEWELER. 43 

will rarely require Dushing. I have known clocks to run 
well on this kind of busliing, botchified as it may appear, 
for ten years. 

TO REMEDY WORN PIIS^IONS. 

Turn the leaves or rollers so the worn places upon them 
will be towards the arbor or shaft, and fasten them in that 
position. If they are " rolling pinions," and you cannot 
secure them otherwise, you had better do it with a little soft 
solder. 

TO OIL PROrEELY. 

Oil only, and very lightly, the pallets of the verge, the 
steel pin upon which the verge works, and the point where 
the loop of the verge wire works over the pendulum wire. 
Use none but the best watch oil. Though you might be 
working constantly at the clock-repairing business, a bottle 
costing you but twenty-five cents, would last you two years 
at least. You can buy it at any watch-furnishing establish- 
ment. 

TO MAKE THE CLOCK STRIKE CORRECTLY. 

If not very craitious in putting up your clock you will get 
some of the striking-train wheels in wrong, and thus produce 
a derangement in the striking. If this should happen, prize 
the plates apart on the striking side, slip the pivots of the 
upper wheels out, and having disconnected them from the 
train, turn them part around and put them back. If still not 
right, repeat the experiment. A few efforts at most will 
get them to working properly. 

A DEFECT TO LOOK AFTER. 

Always examine the pendulum wire at the point wher.j 
the loop of the verge wire works over it. You will generally 
find a small notch, or at least a rough place, worn there. 
Dress it out perfectly smooth, or your clock will not be 
likely to work well. Small as this defect may seem, it 
stops a large number of clocks. 



44 THE AMERICANS" 

CHAPTER VIII. 

OX REFINING AND COMPOUNDING METALS. 

Although it is not expected that the watchmaker and 
jeweler will be called upon to do a heavy business in the 
way of refining metals, yet it is proper for him to know 
something of the modus operandi, for cases may occur in 
which it will be necessary for him to separate the members 
of a compound, or to have a metal which he can rely upon 
as being pure. I shall, therefore, lay before him a few 
simple recipes. They are not exactly the processes em- 
ployed when refining is done on a large scale, but they are 
perfectly reliable, and will answer his purpose ; in fact they 
are the only ones he could make use of without extensive 
and expensive preparations. 

A thorough knowledge of the formula by which metals 
are compounded is of the utmost importance. 

TO KEFINE GOLD. 

If you aesire to refine your gold from the baser m.etals, 
swedge or roll it out very thin, then cut into narrow strips 
and curl up so as to prevent its lying flatly. Drop the 
pieces thus prepared into a vessel containing good nitric 
acid, in the proportion of acid two ounces, and pure rain 
water half an ounce. Suffer to remain until thoroughly 
dissolved, which will be the case in from half an hour to 
one hour. Then pour off the liquid carefully and you will 
find the gold in the form of a yellow powder lying at the 
bottom of the vessel. Wash this with pure water till it 
ceases to have an acid taste, after which you may melt and 
cast into any form you choose. Gold treated in this way 
may be relied on as perfectly pure. 

In melting gold use none other than a charcoal fire, and 
during the process sprinkle saltpetre and potash into the 
crucible occasionally. Do not attempt to melt with stone 
coal, as it renders the metal brittle and otherwise imperfect. 

TO EEFINE SILVEE. 
Dissolve in nitric acid as in the case of the gold. When 



WATCHMAKER AND JEWELER. 45 

the silver has enth-ely disappearedj add to the two-and-a-half 
ounces of solution nearly one quart of pure rain water. 
Sink, tlien, a sheet of clean copper into it — the silver will 
collect rapidly upon the copper, and you can scrape it off 
and melt into bulk at pleasure. 

In the event you were refining gold in accordance with 
the foregoing formula, and the impurity was silver, the only 
steps necessary to save the latter would be to add the above 
named proportion of water to the solution poured from the 
gold, and then to proceed with your copper plate as just 
directed. 

TO REFINE COPPER. 

This process differs from the one employed to refine silver 
in no respects save the plate to be immersed — you use an 
iron instead of a copper plate to collect the metal. 

If the impurities of gold refined were both silver and cop- 
per, you might, after saving the silver as above directed, 
sink your iron plate into the solution yet remaining, and 
take out the copper. The parts of alloyed gold may be 
separated by these processes, and leave each in a Derfectly 
pure state. 

TO MAKE COIN GOLD. 

The gold of American and English coin is twenty-two 
carat fine. Copper alone usually forms the alloy, though a 
portion of silver is sometimes added. To make coin gold, 
you melt together with saltpetre and sal-ammoniac, the tv«ro 
metals in the proportion of twenty-two grains pure gold and 
two grains pure copper. When silver forms a part of the 
alloy it is usually about one-third silver to two-thirds cop- 
per. The latest American coin is of that alloy. 

TO MAKE EIGHTEEN CARAT GOLD 

To make the eighteen carat gold, generally in use, melt 
together as above, eighteen grains pure gold, four grains 
pure copper and two grains pure silver. In cases where 
you find it necessary to use gold coin, weigh out in the pro- 
portion of nineteen-and-a-half grains gold, three grains cop- 
per and one-and-a-half grains silver. 



46 THE AMERICAJf 

TO MA]vE SIXTEEN CARAT GOLD. 
Compound sixteen grains pure gold with five-aud-a-lialf 
grains pure copper and two-and-a-half grains pure silver. 
Or, if gold coin is used, seventeen grains gold, five grains 
copper and two grains silver. 

TO MAKE TWELVE CARAT GOLD. 

Melt together, in the usual way, twenty-five grains gold 
— if coin— thirteen-and-a-half grains copper, and seven-and- 
a-third grains silver. This is a very good gold for rings, 
&c. — stands acids almost equal to the higher grades, and 
looks fully as well. Of course it is deficient in weight. 

TO MAKE FOUR CARAT GOLD. 
Four carat gold is used to a considerable extent for cheap 
rings, pin-tongues and the like. It is a very nice metal, 
v/ears well, does not black the finger, and presents some- 
what the appearanceof Guinea gold. You make it by melt- 
ing together eighteen parts copper, four parts gold, and two 
parts silver 

TO MAKE GREEN GOLD. 

Melt together nineteen grains pure gold ana five grains 
pure silver. The metal thus prepared has a beautiful green 
shade. Some years ago it was used pretty extensively by 
jewelers in the formation of leaves but v/e do not meet with 
it so often now. 

TO MAKE BEST COUNTERFEIT GOLD 

Fuse together with saltpetre, sal-ammoniac and powdered 
charcoal, four parts platina, two-and-a-half parts pure cop- 
per, one part pure zinc, two parts block tin and one-and-a- 
half parts pure lead. 

Another good recipe calls for tAvo parts platina, one part 
silver and three parte copper. 

A metal compounded in accordance with either formula, 
as exhibited above, will so nearly resemble gold as to almost 
defy detection without a resort to thorough tests. The 
platina requires a high temperature to melt, but nothing 
could be substituted that would act so well, as it adds to 
the ring of the metal, and to a great extent fortifies it against 
the action of acids. 



WATCHAIAKER AND JEWELER. 47 

If at any time you should find your metal too liard or 
brittle for practical us 3 re-melt it with sal-ammoniac. It 
may in some cases be necessary to repeat this operation 
several times, but it will be sure to produce the desired 
effect eventually. 

TO MAKE BEST OREIDE GOLD. 

Oreide gold is figuring no little at this time in the way of 
cheap jewelry. The best article is made by compounding 
four parts pure copper, one-and-three-fourth parts pure zinc, 
one-fourth part magnesia, one-tenth part sal-ammoniac, one- 
twelfth part quick-lime and one part cream tartar. Melt 
the copper first, then add as I'apidly as possible the other 
articles in the order named. 

TO MAKE ALLOYED SILVER. 

Copper is the only less precious metal that alloys well 
with silver. Its addition is a decided improvement on the 
original, rendering it harder, finer in appearance and more 
sonorous ; and it is astonishing to note the quantity that 
may be added without otherwise changing the first appear- 
ance- of the metal. An alloy of silver and copper in the 
proportion of four-fifths silver to one of copper, is fully a;4 
white as the silver would be entirely pure. When the pro- 
portion o'f copper rises above one-fifth, it begins to have an 
influence in the color. American coin silver is one-tenth 
copper. 

The baser white metals cannot be alloyed with silver to 
any great extent, owing to the fact that they impart to the 
compound too great a degree of brittleness. A small pro- 
portion of block tin virtually converts it into bell metal. 

The following is, perhaps, the best known composition 
for a cheap silver : Pure silver, say one ounce 5 copper, one- 
sixth of an ounce ; brass, two-thirds of an ounce 5 bismuth, 
one-third of an ounce ; clean salt, two-thirds of an ounce ; 
white arsenic, one-third of an ounce ; and potash, one-third 
of an ounce. Melt the silver, copper and brass first, then 
add the other articles in the order named. Sprinkle a very 
little borax into the crucible while melting — too much will 
have a tendency to render the metal unmalleable. 



48 THE AMEEICAN 

■ TO MAKE BEST COUNTEEFEIT SILVEE. * 

Combine by fusion one part pure copper, twenty-four parts 
block tin, one-aud-a-lialf parts pure antimony, one-fourth 
part pure bismuth and two parts clear glass. The glass 
may be omitted save in cases where it is an object to have 
the metal sonorous. 

TO MAKE GERMAN SILVEE. 

The best German silver may be made by melting together 
twenty-five parts copper, fifteen parts zinc and ten parts 
nickel. 

TO MAKE GOLD SOLDEE. 

Melt together in a charcoal fire twenty-four grams gold 
coin, nine grains pure silver, six grains copper and three 
grains good brass. This makes a solder for gold ranging 
from twelve to sixteen carats in fineness. Where a finer 
grade is to be worked, the solder may be made to correspond 
by increasing the proportion of gold in its composition. A 
darker solder may be made, if desired, by lessening the pro- 
portion of silver, and increasing that of the copper in a cor 
responding degree. 

TO MAKE SILVEE SOLDEE. 

The usuiil method is to combine two parts of silver with 
one of brass. For my use I generally make the proportion 
of brass a little larger than one-third. In fhe course of his 
work the jeweler invariably throws aside quite a number of 
cheap pin-tongues as being too soft and too easily bent to 
be serviceable. Of these I often make my solder, combiniDg 
them with silver in equal proportion. It seems to work 
better and more freely than any other I can prepare. 

TO MAKE BEASS OE COPPEE SOLDEE. 

Compound in the usual way two parts of brass with one 
of zinc. Such is the granulated solder sold in rhe shops 
under the name of spelter. 

TO MAKE SOFT SOLDEE. 

The soft solder used by jewelers is generally a composi- 
tion of two parts tin and one part lead. A solder composed 



WATCHMAKER AND JEWELER. 49 

of two parts bismuth, one part tin and one part lead, flows 
at a much lower temperature than the above 5 but it is not 
so strong. 



CHAPTER IX. 



ON SOLDERING. 

The first thing to bo sure of in making preparations for 
soldering, is that the compound to be used in uniting the 
parts is easier of fusion than the parts themselves. Let 
this be otherwise and the attempt must certainly result in 
failure. The next thing to look after is the uniformity in 
the color of the solder and the metal to be soldered 5 and 
where such a thing is of importance, the uniformity in point 
of hardness. To have the color the same is often a matter 
of no little moment, especially in the case of rings, where 
the joint would otherwise be made to show. This last, 
though not least thing in point of consequence, is to see that 
the surfaces to be joined are perfectly bright and clean. 
Without this last-named precaution it is impossible to do 
good work. 

TO HARD SOLDER GOLD, SILVER, COPPER, BRASS, IRON, 
STEEL OR PLATINA. 

The solders to be used for gold, silver, copper and brass 
are given in the preceding chapter. You commence opera- 
tions by reducing your solder to small particles and mixing- 
it with powdered sal-ammoniac and powdered borax in equal 
parts, moistened to make it hold together. Having fitted 
up the joint to be soldered, you secure the article upon a 
piece of soft charcoal, lay your soldering mixture imme- 
diately over the joint, and then with your blow pipe turn 
the flame of your lamp upon it until fusion takes place. 
The job is then done and ready to be cooled and dressed up. 

Iron is usually soldered with copper or brass in accord- 
ance with the above process. The best solder for steel is 



50 THE AMERICAN 

pure gold or pure silver^ though gold or silver solders ar^ 
often used successfully. 

Platina can only be soldered well with gold 5 and the 
expense of it, therefore, contributes to the hinderance of a 
general use of platina vessels, even for chemical purposes, 
where they are of so much importance. 

TO MAKE SOLDERING FLUIDS. 

Clip into one ounce of best muriatic acid as much clear 
sheet zinc as it will dissolve ; then add fifteen or twenty. 
grains of sal-ammoniac and half an ounce of pure rain water. 

The above fluid is not suitable for iron or steel, on 
account of the corrosive character of the acid. A soldering 
fluid may be made for those metals by dissolving chloride 
of zinc in alcohol. It does not run the solder quite so freely 
as does the first-named fluid, though it answers a very good 
purpose. These fluids are only used in Soft soldering 

TO SOFT SOLDER ARTICLES. 

Moisten the parts to be united with soldering fluid ; then, 
having joined them together, lay a small piece of solder 
upon the joint and hold over your lamp, or direct the blaze 
upon it with your blow-pipe until fusion is apparent. With- 
draw then from the blaze immediately, as too much heat will 
render the solder brittle and unsatisfactory. When the 
parts to be joined can be made to spring or press against 
each other, it is best to place a thin piece of solder between 
them before exposing to the lamp. 

• Where two smooth surfaces are to be soldered one upon 
the other, you may make an excellent job by moistening 
them with the fluid, and then, having placed a sheet of tin foil 
between them, holding them pressed firmly together over 
your lanip till the foil melts. If the surfaces fit nicely a 
joint may be made in this way so close as to be almost im- 
perceptibla. The brightest looking lead which comes as a 
lining to tin boxes works better in the same way than tin 
foil. 

TO CLEANSE GOLD TARNISHED IN SOLDERING. 

The old English mode was to expose all parts of the 
article to a uniform heat, allow it to cool and then boil until 
bright in urine and sal-ammoniac. It is now usually cleansed 



WATCHMAKER AND JEWELER. 51 

with diluted sulphuric acid. The pickle is made in about 
th& proportion of one-eighth of an ounce acid to one ounce 
rain water. 

TO CLEANSE SILVEB TARNISHED IN SOLDERING. 

Some expose to' a uniform heat, as in the case of gold, 
and then boil in strong alum water. Others immerse for a 
considerable length of time in a liquid made of half an ounce 
of cyanuret potassa to one pint rain water, and then brush 
off with prepared chalk. 



o'i^c 



CHAPTER X, 



ON PLATING. 

To plate, according to the original meaning, was to solder 
a thin layer of gold or silver upon a baser metal, and then 
roll out the two together. In later days a broader meaning- 
has been given to the word, so that any method of laying a 
finer metal upon a coarser is known as plating. There arc 
now various modes of doing this, all of which arc more or 
less interesting and useful to the watchmaker and jeweler. 

TO MAKE GOLD SOLUTION FOR ELECTRO-PLATING. 

Dissolve five pennyweights gold coin, five grains pure 
copper and four grains pure silver in three ounces nitro- 
muriatic acid ; which is simply two parts muriatic acid and 
one part nitric acid. The silver will not be taken into solu- 
tion as are the other two metals, but will gather at the 
bottom of the vessel. Add one ounce pulverized sulphate 
of iron, half an ounce pulverized borax, twenty -five grains 
pure table salt, aud one quart hot rain water. Upon this 
the gold and copper will be thrown to the bottom of the 
vessel with the silver. Lot stand till fully settled, then 
pour off the liquid carefully, and refill with boiling rain 
water as beforCo Continue to repeat this operation until 
the precipitate is thoroughly washed ; or, in other words, 



52 THE AMERICAN 

fill up, let settle, and pour off so long as the accumulation 
at tlie bottom of the vessel is acid to the taste. 

You now have about an eighteen carat chloride of gold. 
Add to it an ounce and an eighth cyanuret potassa, and one 
quart rain v>'ater — the latter heated to the boiling point. 
Shake up V\'ell, then let stand about twenty-four hours and 
it will be ready for use. 

Some use platina as an alloy instead of silver, under the 
impression that plating done with it is harder. I have used 
both, but never could see much difference. 

Solution for a darker colored plate to imitate Guinea gold 
may be made by adding to the above one ounce of dragon's 
blood and five grams iodide of iron. 

If 3"ou desire an alloyed plate, proceed as first directed, 
without the silver or copper, and with an ounce and a half 
of sulphuret potassa in place of the iron, borax and salt. . 

TO MAKE SILVER SOLUTIOX FOR ELECTRO-PLATIXG. 

Put together into a glass vessel, one ounce good silver, 
made thin and cut into strips j two ounces best nitric acid 
and half an ounce pure rain water. If solution does not 
begin at once, add a little more water — continue to add a very 
little at a time till it does. In the event it starts off well, 
but stops before the silver is fully dissolved, you may 
generally start it up again all right by adding a little more 
water. 

When solution is entirely effected, add one quart of warin 
rain water -and a large tablespoonful of table salt. Shake well 
and let settle, then proceed to pour off and wash through 
other waters as in the case of the gold preparation. When 
no longer acid to the taste, put in an ounce and an eighth 
cyanuret potassa and a quart pure rain water -, after stand- 
ing about twenty-four hours it will be ready for use. 

TO PLATE WITH A BATTERY. '' 

If the plate is to be gold use the gold solution for electro- 
plating; if silver, use the silver solution. Prepare the 
article to be plated by immersing it for several minutes in a 
strong ley made of potash and rain water, polishing off 
thoroughly at the end of the time with a soft brush and pre- 
pared chalk. Care should be taken not to let the fiuo-rs 



WATCHMAKER AND JEWELER. 53 

come in contact with the article while polishing, as that 
has a tendency to prevent the plate from adhering — it 
should be held in two or three thicknesses of tissue paper. 

Attach the article, when thoroughly cleansed, to the 
positive pole of your battery, then affix a piece of gold or 
silver, as the case may be, to the negative pole, and immerse 
both into the solution in such a way as not to hang in con- 
tact with each other. 

After the article has been exposed to the action of the 
battery about ten minutes, take it out and wash or polish 
over with a thick mixture of water and prepared chalk or 
jeweler's rouge. If, in the operation, you find places where 
the plating seems inclined to peel of, or when it has not 
taken well, mix a little of the plating solution with prepared 
chalk or rouge, and rub the defective part thoroughly with 
it. This will be likely to set all right. 

Govern your time of exposing the article to the battery 
by the desired thickness of the plate. During the time it 
should be taken out and polished up as just du'ected about 
every ten minutes, or as often at least as there is an indica- 
tion of a growing darkness on any part of its surface. 
When done, finish with the burnisher on prepared chalk and 
chamois skin, as best suits your taste and convenience. 

In case the article to be plated is iron, steel, lead, pewter, 
or block tin, you must, after first cleansing with the ley and 
chalk, prepare it by applying with a soft brush — a cameFs 
hair pencil is best suited — a solution made of the following 
articles in the proportion named : — Nitric acid, half an 
ounce ; muriatic acid, one third of an ounce ; sulphuric acid, 
one ninth of an ounce ; muriatic of potash, one seventh of 
an ounce ; sulphate of iron, one fourth of an ounce -, sul- 
phuric ether, one fifth of an ounce, and as much sheet zinc 
as it will dissolve. This prepares a foundation, without 
which the plate would fail to take well, if at all. 

TO PLATE WITHOUT A BATTERY. 

Prepare the article same as to plate with a battery, then 
attach to a strip of sheet zinc and suspend in the gold or 
silver solution for electro-plating as the case may bo. Tlie 
zinc is usually passed around the object to be plated, though 
this is of no particular importance, all that is necessary is to 
have the metals in actual contact. Observe the same rules as 



54 THE AMERICAN 

laid down in the directions for plating with a battery. If 
the article being plated has the strip of zinc touching much 
of its surface, it may be well to change the place of contact 
at every polishing. 

You wUl find this mode of plating but little inferior to that 
of plating with a battery. It is more employed now, per- 
haps, than any other. 

TO MAKE GOLD AjVIALGAM. 

Eight parts of gold and one of mercury are formed into 
an amalgam for plating by rendering the gold into thin 
plates, making it red hot and then putting it into the mercury 
while the latter is also heated to ebullition. The gold 
immediately disappears in combination with the mercury, 
after which the mixture may be turned into water to cool. 
It is then ready for use. 

TO PLATE WITPI GOLD AMALGAM. 

Gold amalgam is chiefly used as a plating for silver, cop- 
per or brass. The article to be plated is washed over with 
diluted nitric acid or potash ley and prepared chalk, to 
remove any tarnish or rust that might prevent the amalgam 
from adhering. After having been polished perfectly bright 
the amalgam is applied as evenly as possible, usually with a 
fine scratch brush. It is then set upon a grate over a charcoal 
fire, or placed into an oven and heated to that degree at 
which mercury exhales. The gold, when the mercury has 
evaporated, presents a dull yellow color. Cover it with a 
coating of pulverized nitre and alum in equal parts, mixed 
to a paste with water, and heat again till it is thoroughly 
melted, then plunge into water. Burnish up with a steel or 
bloodstone burnisher. 

TO MAKE AND APPLY GOLD, PLATING SOLUTION. 

Dissolve half an ounce of gold amalgam in one ounce of 
nitro-muriatic acid. Add two ounces of alcohol, and then, 
having brightened the article in the usual way, apply the 
solution with a soft brush. Einse and dry in saw-dust, or 
with tissue paper, and polish up with chamois skin. 

TO MAKE AND APPLY GOLD PLATING POWDERS. 
Prepare a chloride of gold the same as for plating with a 



WATCHMAKER AND JEWELEE. • 55 

battery. Add to it when thoroughly washed out, cyanuret 
potassa in the proportion of two ounces to five pennyweights 
of gold. Pour in a pint of clean rain water, shake up well 
and then let stand till the chloride is dissolved. Add then 
one pound of prepared Spanish whiting and let evaporate in 
the open air till dry, after which put away in a tight vessel 
for use. To apply it you prepare the article in the usual 
way, and having made the powder into a paste with water, 
rub it upon the surface with a piece of chamois skin or 
cotton flannel. 

An old mode of making a gold plating powder was to dip 
clean linen rags into solution prepared as in the second 
article preceding this, and having dried, to fire and burn 
them into ashes. The ashes formed the powder, and were 
to be applied as above. 

TO MAKE AND APPLY SILVEE PLATING SOLUTION. 

Put together in a glass vessel one ounce nitrate of silver, 
two ounces cyanuret potassa, four ounces prepared Spanish 
whiting and ten ounces pure rain water. Cleanse the article 
to be plated as per preceding directions, and apply with a 
soft brush. Finish with the chamois skm or burnisher. 

TO MAKE AND APPLY SILVER PLATING POWDER. 

Dissolve silver in nitric acid by the aid of heat ; put some 
pieces of copper into the solution to precipitate the silver ; 
wash the acid out in the usual way ; then with fifteen grains 
of it mix two drachms of tartar, two drachms of table salt 
and half a drachm of pulverized alum. Brighten the article 
to be plated with ley and prepared chalk, and rub on the 
mixture. When it has assumed a white appearance expose 
to heat as in the case of plating with gold amalgam, then 
polish up with the burnisher or soft leather. 

TO SILVER IVORY. 

Immerse the ivory in a weak solution of nitrate of silver 
till it takes upon itself a bright yellow color j take it then 
from the solution and expose, under water, to the rays of 
the sun. In two or three hours it will become black ; but 
on taking it out of the water and rubbing it, the blackness 
will change to a beautiful silvermg. 



56 . THE AMERICAN 

TO SILVER GLASS GLOBES. 

Take equal parts of tin and lead, and melt them together ; 
add while they are in fusion two parts of bismuth and two 
parts of mercury. Take from the fire, and so soon as cool 
enough for the glass to bear it, pour into the globe and 
|move slowly so that the amalgam will pass over every part 
|of its interior. A thin film will be left at eveiy point of 
contact. 



CHAPTEE XI. 

MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES. 

TO FROST WATCH MOVEMENTS. 

Sink that part of the article to be frosted for a short time 
in a compound of nitric acid, muriatic acid and table salt — 
one ounce of each. On removing from the acid, place it in 
a shallow vessel containing enough sour beer to merely cover 
it, then with a fine scratch brush scour thoroughly, letting it 
remain under the beer during the operation. Next wash off, 
first in pure water and then in alcohol. Gild or silver in 
accordance with any recipe in the chapter on plating. 

TO MAKE CLEANSDs^G SOLUTION FOR BRASS. 

Put together two ounces sulphuric acid, an ounce and a 
half nitric acid, one dram saltpetre and two ounces rain 
water. Let stand for a few hours, and apply by passing 
the article in and out quickly, and then washing off thor- 
oughly with clean rain water. Old discolored brass chains 
treated in this way will look equally as well as when new. 
The usual method of drying is in sawdust. 

TO MAKE AND APPLY SOLUTION FOR FROSTING SILVER 
ARTICLES. 

Put one dram of sulphuric acid into four ounces of rain 
water. Heat the solution and sink the silver in it till frosted 



WATCHMAKER AND JEWELER. 57 

as desired then wash clean and dry in sawdust. Half a dram 
of acid to four ounces water makes a good solution for 
whitening silver articles. 

POLISHING POWDER FOR GOLD ARTICLES. 

Dr. W. Hofman has analyzed a polishing powder sold by 
gold workers in Germany, which always commands a very 
high price, and hence, it may be inferred, is well adapted 
for the purpose. He found it to be a very simple composi- 
tion, being a mixture of about 70 per cent, of sesquioxide of 
iron and 30 per cent, of sal-ammoniac. To prepare it, pro- 
tochloride of iron, prepared by dissolving iron in hydro- 
chloric acid, is treated with liquid ammonia until a precipi- 
tate is no longer formed. The precipitate is collected on a 
filter, and without washing, is dried at such a temperature 
that the adhering sal-ammoniac shall not be volatilized. 
The peroxide of iron precipitate at first becomes charged 
with sesquioxide. 

TO REMOVE TARNISH FROM ELECTRO-PLATED GOODS. 

Make a solution of half a pound cyanuret potassa in two 
gallons rain water. Immerse the article till the tarnish has 
disappeared, then rinse off carefully in three or four waters, 
and dry in sawdust. 

TO MAKE RED WATCH HANDS. 

Mix together and hold over a lamp, until formed into a 
paste, one ounce carmine, one ounce muriate of silver and 
half an ounce tinner's japan. Apply to the watch hands, 
lay them on a copper plate, face up, and then hold the 
plate over your spirit lamp till they assume the color you 
deske. 

TO GIVE PLASTER FIGURES THE APPEARANCE OF 
BRONZE. 

Make a preparation of palm soap, five ounces ; sulphate 
of copper, one and a half ounces, and sulphate of iron, one 
and a half ounces. Dissolve the soap in rain water in one 
vessel and the sulphates in another. Put together and let 
settle, then pour off the water. Dry the precipitate, and 
apply to the figure by mixing as a paint with linseed oil and 
turpentine. 



58 - THE AMERICAN 

TO ETCH ON IVORY, 

Cover the ivory to be etched with a thin coating of bees- 
wax, then trace the figure you desire to present through the 
wax. Pour over it a strong solution of nitrate of silver. 
Let remain a sufficient length of time, then remove it, with 
the wax, by washing in warm water. The design will be 
left in dark lines on the ivory. 

TO ENAMEL GOLD OR SILVER. 

Take half a pennyweight of silver, two pennyweights and 
a half of copper, three pennyweights and a half of lead 
and two pennyweights and a half of muriate of ammonia. 
Melt together and pour into a crucible with twice as much 
pulverized sulphur j the crucible is then to be immediately 
covered that the sulphur may not take fire, and the mixture 
is to be calcined over a smelting fire until the superfluous 
sulphur is burned away. The compound is then to be- 
coarsely pounded, and with a solution of muriate of ammonia 
to be formed into a paste, which is to be placed upon the 
article it is designed to enamel. The article must then be 
held over a spirit lamp till the compound upon it melts and 
flows. After this it may be smoothed and polished up in 
safety. This makes the black enamel now so much used on 
jewelry. 

TO DESTROY THE EFFECT OF ACIDS ON CLOTHES. 

Dampen as soon as possible after exposure to the acid 
with spirits ammonia. It will destroy the effect immediately. 

TO WASH SILVER WARE. 

Never use a particle of soap on your silver ware, as it 
dulls the lustre, giving the article more the appearance of 
pewter than silver. When it wants cleanmg rub it with 
a piece of soft leather and prepared chalk, the latter made 
into a kind of paste with pure water. I say pure water, for 
the reason that water not pure might contain gritty par- 
ticles. 

TO CLEANSE BRUSHES. 

The best method of cleansing watchmakers^ and jewelers' 
brushes is to wash them out in strong soda water. W^hen 



WATCHMAKER AND JEWELER. 59 

the Dacks are wood you must favor that part as much as 
possible, for being glued the water may injure them. 

TO CUT GLASS EOIJND OR OVAL WITHOUT A DIAMOND. 

Scratch the glass around the Shape you desire with the 
corner of a file or graver j then, having bent a piece of wire 
to the same shape, heat it red hot and lay it upon thcj 
scratch, sink the glass into cold water just deep enough for 
the water to come almost on a level with its upper surfacCo 
It will rarely ever fail to break perfectly true. 

TO RE-BLACK CLOCK HANDS. 

Use asphaltum varnish. One coat will make old rusty 
hands look as good as new, and it dries in a very few 
minutes. 



GLOSSARY, 



Arbor. — ^An axle whicli turns upon itself by means of its pivots. Some 

watclimakers apply the term only to the post on which the key is 

placed to wind the watch, and to the rod passing through the 

cannon. 

Anchor. — Apiece of the escapement used in clocks and lever watches. 

Anchor Escapement Watch. — A detached lever is often called an 

anchor escapement. 
Barrel. — That piece of the watch which contains the main spring. 
Bridge. — A piece secured to the plate, in which a pivot works, as in 

the case of skeleton levers. 
Balance. — A wheel which moves back and forth in obedience to the 

adverse action of the lever and hair spring. 
Beat. — Each "tick" of the watch is called a beat. 
Click. — A small lever which works into a ratchet and prevents the 

sudden recoil of the mainspring when the watch is wound up. 
Centre Wheel. — Tne large wheel immediately in the centre of the 

watch. 
Chick. — A small pin ; usually those which hold the bridges in position. 
Cylinder.— The hoUow piece which checks the onward motion of the 

scape wheel in cylinder escapement watches. 
Cannon. — The steel piece which comes up through the dial, and 

around which the hour wheel revolves. In English and American 

levers the minute hand is fastened upon it. 
Common Pinion. — The pinion at the lower end of the cannon, which 

moves the minute wheel. 
Cock. — Bridge over the balance. 

Collet. — A small ring fitting on the balance staff or arbor, and hold- 
ing the inside end of the hair spring. The rings into which jewels 

are sometimes set are also called collets. 
Dial. — The face of tlie watch or clock. 

Dial Wheels. — Those working between the dial and piUar plate. 
Depthing Tool. — ^An instrument used for finding the proper location 

of pivot holes. 
Escapement. — Those pieces in the watch or clock which work to- 
gether and regulate the velocity of the time train. 
Electro Plating— Plating through the aid of electricity. Formerly 

it was only done with a battery, but recent discoveries enable us 

to make a very good electro-plate without a battery. 
Fusee, — The cone-shaped wheel upon which the chain works. 
Fourth Wheel. — The wheel which, in ordinary watches, works 

into the scape wheel. 
Fourth Wheel Second. — A watch carrying a second hand on the 

pivot of its fourth wheel. 
Fork.— That part of the lever into which the ruby pin plays. 



GLOSSARY. 61 

Fly. — An arbor carrying two wings for tbe purpose of meeting with 

atmospheric resistance, and thus regulating the motion of striking 

trains in clocks. 
Guard Point. — The wedge-shaped elevation immediately back of the 

fork in detached levers. 
Gearixg. — The action of the teeth of one wheel upon those of an- 
other wheel or pinion. 
Horology. — That branch of science which treats of the principles 

and construction of machines for measuring time. 
HoROLOGiST. — One who interests himself in the science of horology. 

A constructor or repairer of machines for measuring time. Strictly 

applicable to the American watch maker, owing to the fact that 

he works on all manner of time machines. 
Hour Whj^el. — The wheel working around the cannon, and upon 

which the hour hand is fastened. 
Index. — Hand. 
Jewel. — The stone or glass settings through which Or against which 

the pivots work ; also the settings in the pallets and the roller. 
Leaves. — Teeth or cogs of a pinion. 
Lever. — A horizontal bar upon which the pallets are secured, and 

which conducts the effect of the motive power from the train to 

the balance. 
Minute Wheel. — A name generally given to that dial wheel which 

is driven by the cannon pinion. 
Movement. — The interior works of the clock or watch, independent 

of case. 
Pallets. — The jeweled piece of the lever watch which works into the 

teeth of the scape wheel. 
Pivot. — The end of an arbor turned very small to avoid friction. 
PiNiox. — A small leaved wheel. 
Pillars. — Posts which in plate watches hold the plates the proper 

distance apart for the working of the train or trains between 

them. 
Pillar Plate. — Usually the bottom plate of a watch, but European 

watchmakers generally call both pillar plates, distinguishing them 

as the upper and lower. 
Putting Up. — Setting the different parts of a clock, or watch into 

• their proper places. 
Pivot Wood. — A tough wood employed by watchmakers in cleaning 

out pivot holes. It is sometimes called peg wood. A scape wheel 

is sometimes called a ratchet in Europe. 
RxiTCHET. — A steel wheel into which the click yv^orks. 
EuBY Pix. — A small glass or stone pin which works in connection 

with the lever. 
Roller. — The circular plate into which the ruby pin is set. It is 

often called the ruby pin table. 
Roll Plate. — The best grade of plated jewelry. 
Stop Works. — A mechanism to prevent the watch from being wound 

up too far. 
Staff. — A name generally applied to the balance arbor of lever 

watches; also to the arbor passing through the pallets. 
Scape Wheel. — ^The last wheel of the train. 



62 GLOSS AKY. 

Second Watches. — Watch with, a second hand. 

Scratch Brush. — A brush made of fine brass wire. 

Teeth — Cogs by which the motion of one wheel is communicated to 

another. 
Train. — A collection of wheels so arranged that the moving power 

applied to the first wheel is freely communicated to them all. 
Third Wheel, — The wheel into whose pinion the centre wheel 

works. 
Taking Down. — Taking apart the different pieces of a clock or 

watch. 
Wheel Bed. — A bed turned out in the plate of a watch to receive a 

wheel. 



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